Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story
by nyllemnev
Summary: Our favorite RK couple in one of the most favorite fairy tales of all times, with some kind of a twist... c'mon just give it a try.(KK) RR
1. The prince and the country girl

A RK Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They're not mine  
  
Chapter 1: The Prince and the Country Girl  
  
It was a bright and lovely day in a small town in the empire of Tokyo. The people were now nusy doing their daily chores and works. Some of them are selling this and that in the market. Some are already opening their shops. Children were now preparing for school and beggars are to be seen in some places. Few of them were just gambling and others were busy chatting. Everybody was busy making money and working, enjoying another long day.  
  
Things were the same in the Kamiya households, everybody were busy, I mean Kaoru Kamiya is really busy, cleaning the house and everything while her stepmother and sisters were eating their breakfast.  
  
"Oh! What a very lovely day!" she stretched and smiling brightly, tilting her head to watch the blue sky and the birds fly. "The sun is very good and the birds are already chirping so... sweetly, soothingly..." she giggled as a little blue bird flew closer to her.  
  
"Hello there, little one." she smiled to the little creature. "hope you'll enjoy you're day, little friend."  
  
"Oh, there you are, you silly girl." Megumi Takani, Kaoru's stepmother said coldly to her, making the little blue bird flew away.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Aunt Megumi! What is it that I can do for you?" Kaoru asked politely, turning to smile at her stepmother.  
  
"I don't see what's good in the morning?!?" a young lady with a long dark hair and a cold eyes appeared behind Megumi, with another lady beside her.  
  
"Oh, Gomen-nasai, Tomoe-san, Kamatari-san" Kaoru politely bowed at the two them, not taking her smile off.  
  
"Gomen... gomen...." Tomoe said mockingly. "All you always say is a stupid sorry about this... gomen about that.... You're truly an idiot!"  
  
"She really is." Kamatari giggled. "Look at her! She looks like an ugly racoon."  
  
"Gomen..." Kaoru said shyly and looking down.  
  
"Anyway, I want you to get me a new ribbon and I want a pink one." Tomoe said before disappearing in sight with her mother.  
  
"And I want some sweets. I'm out of those." Kamatari said.  
  
"Okay, I'll just change." Kaoru said.  
  
"No, your old rag clothes would do just fine." Kamatari gigled more. "Don't change. As if you got some clothes better than that." Kamatari walked away with a flirtatious giggle.  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded to no one sadly.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Prince Kenshin! Prince Kenshin!"  
  
"Hai, I'm here."  
  
"Your father wants a word with you."  
  
"Hai, I'll be going."  
  
Kenshin stood up from his table and walked slowly towards the throne room. 'What do they want this time?'  
  
As he entered the room, he saw Sanosuke Sagara, his bestfriend and personal assistant in everything he does. Partner in crime, that's what they say, especially when he wants to sneak out of the palace sometimes. He just smiled at him and continued walking.  
  
"Father, the servant told me that you want a word." he said bowing at his father.  
  
"Oh there you are, my dearest" Queen Yumi Komogata said.  
  
"It's just that me and your mother are planning on who to invite for a ball tomorrow. And here, I'm asking your friend Sano for some suggestions." King Okina said.  
  
"What? Another ball?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Oh c'mon son. We have talked about it last week."  
  
"But I never remember saying yes."  
  
"Here son, is a list of princesses that we're planning to invite. Princess Misao Makimachi of Kyoto will be attending the ball. And here is Lady Shura from Hokkaido..." the queen started mentioning names of young princesses and maidens from other empires.  
  
Kenshin just shot Sano a here-we-go-again look and Sano replied with a just-let-it-pass-on-your-rght-ear-and-out-in-you-left-ear look.  
  
"... and they are really pretty." queen gladly announced. "If you would just give them enough attentions, my dear."  
  
"Those ladies may be beautiful but still, there's something missing. It's just that, maybe, I haven't really found the right girl for me."  
  
"Oh son, but..."  
  
"Don't worry mother, father. Once I found her, I'll tell you. And besides, I'm not yet ready for serious commitments or marriage. I still wanna enjoy my life as a bachelor." Kenshin said bowing politely at his parents before going back on his office with Sano following him.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"At last I'm finished." Kaoru took a deep breath as she finished her errands for the day. She sat on a bench in front of a bakeshop watching the people passed by and the blue sky.  
  
"And the view is very beautiful. If only I could enjoy the view here more often." she sighed and stood up again. "Better go before Aunt Megumi gets md at me."  
  
As she walk, she wore a bright smile on her lips for everyone who pass by.  
  
"Kaoru-chan!" a woman in a dress shop called.  
  
"Oh! Tae-san!" Kaoru smiled at her and approached her. "How's business doing?"  
  
"Very good. Come on in. I have some few designs here that you would like to try? It will definitely look good on you." Tae said with a smile.  
  
"Oh, I would be glad too. Demo... my step mother would be mad at me if I go home late. I still have plenty of things to do." Kaoru said sadly. "Maybe, some other time."  
  
"Okay. Anyway, always take care of yourself and don't let those 'women' ruin your day."  
  
"Hai." Kaoru said with a smile.  
  
'Oh Kaoru... always take care... don't worry... I'll always watch after you... just like how I promised you mother.' Tae thought watching Kaoru go away.  
  
***  
  
"So Sano, I'll be going now." Kenshin said after changing into a worn out magenta gi and white hakama, securing his sakabatou on his waist. "Take care of the things her while I'm gone."  
  
"No need to tell me." Sano puts a thumbs up. "Just be sure to come back at exactly 10."  
  
"Hai."   
  
"And wear this bandage to hide your scar. and DON'T BE LATE WILL YOU?"  
  
"Oro? Hai, I will not be late this time." Kenshin nodde before jumping out of the window.  
  
***  
  
Kaoru just finished doing her works and is really exhausted. All she wanna do is to go to her room,which is the former attic, before her father died, and sleep.  
  
"Oh! I think I'll go get some sleep now..." she yawned and began to go to her room.  
  
"Kaoru!" Megumi called seeing Kaoru passed by the living room.  
  
"Hai? Aunt Megumi?" Kaoru said tiredly but managed to smile.  
  
"I want you to go out and get my diamond ring in the shop. I had it cleaned yesterday and I wanna use it for tomorrow's ball." Megumi said without looking at Kaoru.  
  
"But, Aunt Megumi... the coachman have already gotten home and who will take..."  
  
"Then just walk! Just go! It's still 8:30, still early." Megumi said.  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded and ran to her room getting her cloak and bokken.  
  
"Better bring you with me, just in case." she said, grabbing the bokken tightly.  
  
***  
  
'It's wonderful here outside.' Kenshin thought with a smile. 'The people are so nice and kind. Though, some seems scared because I carry a sword. And the view is better here than on the palace." he took a bite of the apple an old woman that he have saved gave him earlier. He continued walking, humming in a tuneless tone that he didn't noticed that he have bumped onto someone.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Oro? Uhm... sorry..." Kenshin looked back to see a girl carrying a bokken.  
  
"It's nothing. I'm sorry too, I'm not watching my way." the girl bowed at him and smiled.  
  
"Hey, why are you carrying a bokken? Are you going to fight someone?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Mou! You're carrying a sword too. A real one. If you don't want me to ask you why, don't ask me." the girl winked and turned her back to him. "Anyway, see ya!"  
  
"Weird girl." Kenshin stared at the girl's retreating back. "But she's pretty, bad thing, I didn't get her name."  
  
***  
  
"Arigato, Takano-san." Kaoru said brightly to the jewelry shop owner, getting her stepmother's ring.  
  
"You are welcome, Kaoru-chan. Be careful on your way home. There are so many bandits out there." Takano said with concern.  
  
"Arigato. Takano-san, I'll be careful." Kaoru smiled again before walikng back home.  
  
As Kaoru walked, she can feel her heart beats faster and faster in evry steps she takes. Yes, she brought her bokken with her and she knows a little kendo, but still, a bokken can no match to a real sword and no matter how hard she try, she's just a little girl compared to big nasty bandits.  
  
'Mou, Kaoru-no-baka! Think positive. Nothing will happen.' she rationalized, starting to walk faster, turning on a block.  
  
"Hey, hey. You must be a brave girl, walking here all by yourself." an evil looking guy said smirking at Kaoru's directon.  
  
"Just let me pass." Kaoru said biting her lower lip and she continued to walk, but the man blocked her way. " I wanna go home."  
  
"Hey! Have you heard that guys?!? The little girl wants to go home!" and the group of nasty guys started laughing. Kaoru used this opportunity to run as fast as she could.   
  
"Mou!" Kaoru cursed silently as she turned to a dead end.  
  
"Hehe.. there's no way out, little girl. Just give us what you got."  
  
"I got nothing to give you! Just leave me alone." Kaoru said starting to grabbed her bokken to defensive stance.  
  
"Hey, you seems that you wanna fight. Tough girl! I like that!" the nasty guy laughed. "Don't worry I won't go easy on you." the man attacked at her trying to hit her with his fist but Kaoru was fast, the man was unconscious in a minute.  
  
"Just leave me alone!" Kaoru said again, feeling a little confident. But one of the men just smirked and draws a real sword and splits Kaoru's bokken into half.  
  
"Now you're unarmed. You're hopeless." the men laughed evilly.  
  
"Mou! Don't come close! I'll... I'll... scream!" She said, glaring at the man.  
  
"Then scream! We're so scared!" the guy said taking steps closer.  
  
"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!! SOMEBODY!!!!!!!!!!! HELP MEEEEE!!!!!!! EEEEEE!!!!!!" Kaoru screamed at the top of her lungs which only made the bandits laugh more.  
  
***  
  
'I swear I heard someone scream.' Kenshin instantly grabbed his sword. And began scanning the place. No one.  
  
'Must be my imaginations. Anyway, I need to get back now. Sano would...'   
  
"HHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!!!"  
  
"What the? Somebody really screamed and it sounded so near." Kenshin said and began to run to the direction of the noise.  
  
***  
  
"Go away!" Kaoru cried as she was now pinned to the wall, a sword on her throat. "Don't touch me!"  
  
"Hmmm,,, smells sweet,,," the man said taking Kaoru's scent in.  
  
"EEEKKK!!!! You nasty freak!!! Let me go!!!" she said, rather shakily as the man was about to stole a kiss from her but before he could do that...  
  
"That's not a proper way to treat a young lady. That's not the work of a true gentleman." a red-haired swordsman said, the nasty guy turned to him and gasped in shock as he saw his other men lying unconscous in the ground.  
  
"What the?!!?" the nasty guy frowned and attacked the red-haired man furiously. The red-haired swordsman only dodged his attacks before jumping up and hitting the nasty man on his head with his sheated sword.  
  
"Are you alright, miss?" the red-haired man approached Kaoru  
  
"Hai, arigato... hey..." she gasped as she saw the face of her savior. "...you're that guy!"  
  
"You're that girl!"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded and smiled at him. He held out his hand to help her stand up and she gladly accept it. "Arigato, I don't know what would happen to me if you don't come just in time. Hey... wait... you're cheek is bleeding and your arm too." she added with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin placed a hand on his left cheek to find that it is bleeding and the bandage that he puts in it was gone. It's nothing. It's dangerous for a beautiful young lady to walk alone in the dark."  
  
"Let me help you with that..." she said before pulling the ribbon off her long hair and started wiping the blood trickling down his face. "Whew... you got a scar on your face just because of me... and your arm too... " she added as she tied her ribbon on his wounded arm.  
  
"It's nothing." Kenshin nervously said. 'I already have this scar long time ago.' he added to himself. "So, why are you out, this time?"  
  
"Oh, it's just that my stepmother want me to pick up her diamond ring." Kaoru said then checked her pocket for the ring and sighe in relief. "Good thing it's still here."  
  
"What?!? Just because of that?!? They let you go out in the middle of the night?!?"  
  
"Don't worry nothing happened. It's alright." Kaoru smiled again. "Anyway, thanks. What can I do to pay for you."  
  
"Nothing. Well, maybe, you're name."  
  
"Kaoru Kamiya. And it woud be just fine if I'll ask yours."  
  
"Kenshin." the red-haired man said without thinking.  
  
"Hey, isn't that just the prince' name?" Kaoru said giggling.  
  
"But it's true." Kenshin said.  
  
"Nevermind, at least I have something to call you." Kaoru smiled. "anyway, thanks again, Kenshin."  
  
"Uhm... Kaoru, can I escort you home?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Sure." Kaoru said as she led her way home.  
  
"You say you live with your stepmother, where's your real mother." Kenshin asked trying to begin a conversation.  
  
"She died when I was just a little girl." Kaoru said, her smile fading.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Kenshin just looked down.  
  
"It's nothing. Don't worry." Kaoru smiled again brightly. "My mother died when I was just a little girl. Two years later, my father married my stepmother, Aunt Megumi. She has two daughters, a little older than me, Tomoe and Kamatari. I live with them."  
  
"I see." Kenshin just said. "With your father too?"  
  
"Iie, my father just died." Kaoru said, smiling sadly. "Anyway, that's our home!" Kaoru said finally seeing a mansion blocks away.  
  
"You live there?" Kenshin raised an eyebrow. He thought she lived in a small house judging by the way she dressed.  
  
"Hai." Kaoru turned to smile again at Kenshin A/N: Kaoru does a lot of smiling here. but anyway, she's cute when she smiles! "You must have thought that I live in a small hut or something by the way I look. It's just that I feel more comfortable with this kind of clothes." she lied. "And besides, no need for me to wear a beautiful kimono since I will only make it dirty. You see, I used to do all the house hold chores at home."  
  
"Eh?You do?" Kenshin asked. "Your stepmother made you do that?"  
  
"Iie." Kaoru only nodded. " I did it in my own will. I just want to help them you see. As an exchange to the foods and shelter they gave me." she quickly lied.  
  
"But they're supposed to..."  
  
"It's fine." Kaoru said. "anyway. I'm here, so, would you mind getting inside for a cup of tea?"  
  
"Tea?" then a thought came to Kenshin, "Oh no! Sano is going to kill me. What time is it?"  
  
"It's already 10."  
  
"WHAT?!? I need to go." Kenshin turned and began to run but stop and turned back to Kaoru.  
  
"Anyaway, its nice meeting you."  
  
"Me too, thanks again and be careful." Kaoru waved at Kenshin before getting back inside.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: till next time. please do review. hope you enjoyed reading my fic! 


	2. The girl named Kaoru

A RK Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They are not mine...  
  
Chapter 2: The girl named Kaoru...  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!?" Sano angrily spit out seeing his friend, finally came back.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to come home late, you see..." Kenshin reasoned out but was cut-off by a really angry Sano.  
  
"You're father almost noticed you missing!" Sano said. "He knocked on your room almost five times to asked you all about this stupid ball!"  
  
"Oro? He did that? He's still up to that thing?!?"  
  
"He kept on asking that. So I said yes."  
  
"ORO?!? You said yes!" it was now Kenshin's turn to fume. "Why the heck did you do that for?!?"  
  
"It's your fault baka! If you only show up here in time! But who knows where the stupid little site-seeing prince is up to out there."  
  
"I'm sorry." Kenshin sighed. "But you see, I happen to walk in some kinda nasty guys bullying a girl."  
  
"Eh? So you went there, saving the damsel-in-distress? Eh?" Sano raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah." Kenshin nodded. "Good thing I came there before those freaks did something bad to her."  
  
"Yeah right." Sano sighed. "Anyway, let's just forget about it."  
  
"But the ball." Kenshin said. "You know I don't feel like going there."  
  
"As usual."  
  
"What do you think I could do so... you know..."  
  
"You're not going to run away this time, Himura!" Sano warned. "You have to show up! You're father is going to be there. They're expecting you to come."  
  
"But I don't like to come." Kenshin said stubbornly. "Can you just think of something to cancel it?"  
  
"I can't! Ask your father." Sano shrugged. "Anyway, it's getting late. Still got work to do tomorrow." he yawned and Kenshin only nodded.  
  
***  
  
(the next day)  
  
Kaoru hummed softly as she started doing the laundry. "Gotta finish all of this as fast as I could." She smiled happily to no one.  
  
"Why so happy, busu?" a spiky-haired boy, Kaoru's age said, grinning widely when he saw her frown at him.  
  
"Good morning to you too, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru greeted back through gritted teeth. "Please don't do anything to ruin my day, will ya?"  
  
"I'm not doing anything. And don't call me a 'chan' !!!" Yahiko replied, fuming.  
  
"Why so early?" Kaoru said, without looking at Yahiko who just sat near her, watching her scrubbed one of Tomoe's yukata.  
  
"Nothing, just thought of checking you up." Yahiko said. "Did the wicked witches made your day bad?"  
  
"Never knew you cared, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru giggled, making Yahiko blush a little.  
  
"Of course not." Yahiko frowned. "So, did the witches gave you a hard time?"  
  
"Nah… just the usual." Kaoru smiled. "Don't worry."  
  
"Yeah, just the usual." Yahiko snorted. "Yeah, still got work to do, still need to feed the horses , you know. See ya later." He said before standing up and walking towards the hay loft.   
  
"KAORU!!! You silly girl, what did you do with my ribbon?!?" Tomoe suddenly appeared, looking really pissed off by something, walking past Yahiko who stopped walking to watch her, walking towards Kaoru with loud thuds.  
  
"Nani? Tomoe-san?" Kaoru stopped her tracks to stare innocently at Tomoe.  
  
"What did you do with my ribbon?" Tomoe asked furiously  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Look at this. It's all dirty! Did you use it or something?!?"  
  
"N-no." Kaoru shook her head. "I would never touch any of your things, Tomoe-san, unless you ask me to."  
  
"Don't play innocent on me, you ugly tanuki!!!" Tomoe snarled. "I know you did it because you are jealous of me!"  
  
"Nani? Jealous?"  
  
"You're jealous because you know that even you can come with us to the royal ball tonight, you don't have any decent thing to wear unlike me." Tomoe smirked. "You know that you will only looked rubbish when you come near me, wearing that old rugged… whew! Itf you can ever call that worn-out thing a kimono!" her smiled widened when she saw Kaoru looked down and sighed.  
  
"I didn't…"  
  
"I know why mother allowed you to come with us." Tomoe continued. "She only want to bring you, so that we can have someone to watch on our carriage. So that there will be someone who will take our things in case I changed my mind on using a pink ribbon over a blue one."  
  
"I'll just clean it up…" Kaoru said, referring to Tomoe's ribbon. "It will be as good as new later."  
  
"Oh this?" Tomoe said, throwing her dusty ribbon on Kaoru's face. "You can keep that trash. It will suits you. A rubbish thing for a no one like you." She said, feigning a smile of victory as she saw Kaoru's shaking hand clutch her ribbon tightly.  
  
Kaoru just took a deep breath. 'A no one?' the thought came flooding in her mind as she fought to control her temper. 'A rubbish for a no one like you…' she took another calming breath before looking up at Tomoe and flashing a smile. "Arigato… I'll take it as a gift from you, Tomoe-san…" she replied as politely as she can, making Tomoe's smile fade.  
  
"Whatever." Tomoe frowned at her before tossing her long black hair and walking back the huge mansion.  
  
"You shouldn't let her do that to you, you know." Yahiko said, from a corner, arms croosed.   
  
"Eh? I thought you were feeding the horses." Kaoru raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I was about to." Yahiko replied. "But I just happen to see her walk towards you and heard everything she said to you."  
  
"It's nothing." Kaoru looked at her soaked hands. "Just forget it."  
  
"Forget it?!?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"You are so… I don't know what word to describe you." Yahiko frowned at his friend. "Either you are a stone, not feeling any self-pity, or you're an idiot, letting them do this to you!"  
  
"Forget it, it's all done."  
  
"Yeah right, whatever." Yahiko turned his back to her. "Just one thing, Kaoru. It's not bad to fight back sometimes. You should learn to do that. They can't abuse you or treat you like a slave. You are Kamiya-sensei's only daughter. You have all the right to be respected, always remember that." He said before walking away.  
  
"Arigato." Kaoru smiled at Yahiko's back. "I'm so lucky to have someone like you, Yahiko-chan." She added making Yahiko blush, ignoring the 'chan' part.  
  
***  
  
"C'mon, one more time, please." Kenshin said.  
  
"No more. You're father is going to kill me if you don't show up in the royal ball." Sano frowned. "What's so special going out there, anyway?"  
  
"It is very wonderful out there!" Kenshin said looking scandalized. "The people are great, they are so nice and kind. The sight is very good."  
  
"The sight is also good from the huge window of your room." Sano said. "You can see the whole town from up there. Why waste time, walking around the town, if you can enjoy the sight from your room?"  
  
"I just wanna go... you know, just for a break." Kenshin sighed. "I'm just getting tired of all of this stuffs. I have to read all of this documents!" he said pointing to a huge pile of papers on his office desk. "I have to go to different places talking with different aristocratic people. I have to act like this, like that. I have to deal with the problems of our empire. For once, I just want a break." he said.  
  
"Yeah, and sometimes I pity you, seeing you do all of those stuffs." Sano sighed. "Okay. I'll cover you up, but this will be the last time, for this week, ne?" he sighed and Kenshin only smiled.  
  
"You are so great Sano!" Kenshin said gladly.  
  
"Go away now, and be sure to turn up in that stupid party or whatsoever!"  
  
"Yeah, I promise." Kenshin replied, as he jumped out of the window.  
  
***  
  
"Ha! It's nice to be away of all of those papers. This is life!" Kenshin gladly said, as he walked around the town, eating an apple, he bought a while ago. He turned in a corner and saw a sign 'Kionji's Bakeshop For all Occasions…'  
  
"Sounds good." Kenshin thought as he entered the shop.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu." the storeowner, Kionji-san greeted, smiling warmly at his customer. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"Ohayo… Can I have the best bread in your shop." Kenshin said, taking in the delicious smell of freshly baked breads and cakes from the shop.  
  
"A minute sir." Kionji nodded as Kenshin took a seat in the counter.  
  
"You are new here, right?" Kionji-san asked. "I never saw you here before."  
  
"Oro? Ano… Not really." Kenshin said, scratching the back of his head. "Just that I rarely go out."  
  
"I see." Kionji said, nodding. "What do you do?"  
  
"Uhm… Work? Yes. That's it! Work! Hehehe…" Kenshin let out a chuckle. "I usually work all day. That's why I rarely go out! Hehehe…"  
  
"Wow, that's pretty impressing. You work all day." Kionji smiled.  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Hai." Kionji nodded. "I know a girl who works all day and night."  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"Though, you will never notice it by the way she still find some time to visit me rarely." Kionji sighed. "And by the way she smiled at other people. Who knew what a pretty hard life she is having now." he sighed again, closing his eyes. "Poor little Kaoru-chan. She is forced to work for her selfish step mother."  
  
"Kaoru?" Kenshin blinked, suddenly remembered the girl he rescued last night.  
  
"Hai. Come to think of it, when her father is still alive, he will never let Kaoru do anything like that." Kionji said. "You see, her father loved her so much that he always gave everything she wants and everything she needs. Tetsuro-sama even married that woman so that someone will take care of Kaoru when he is out for work."  
  
"And now she works for the one who is supposed to be looking after her?" Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "That was mean. Really mean."  
  
"Yeah." Kionji nodded. "If only I could help her. I would gladly accept her in my place if she want to, but the girl is just like her father... stubborn, hard-headed... but has a kind heart." he smiled at Kenshin. "I think you're order is already up. Let me just check on it for you."  
  
"Arigato gozaimasu, Kionji-san." Kenshin bowed and smiled back.  
  
***  
  
"Mou! This is very simple." Kaoru sank to an old mattress where she sleep in the attic. "They will never let me go inside the palace if I'm wearing something like this." she sighed as she stood up again to examine herself in an old mirror. She was now in her mother's silk blue kimono with cherry blossoms and it's matching green obi. Her hair was tied in a green ribbon in a high ponytail.  
  
"I looked so.. simple." she sighed again. "Sometimes I get to envy Kamatari-san and Tomoe-san. They have all of those beautiful kimonos and elegant dresses." she closed her eyes dreamily. "Ohh... how I wish I could wear something as elegant as those. Dancing in the royal ball... with my prince charming..." she sighed again and sank again on the old mattress. "But it will never happen. A prince charming? Who am I kidding? The prince will never give an eye for me! Not with an ugly tomboy that's me."  
  
"Kaoru!!!! YOU SLOW POKE!!! GET HERE!!!!"  
  
Kaoru sighed again as Kamatari's voice cut off her thoughts. "I could always dream though." she smiled to herself as she walked out of her 'room'.  
  
"I could always dream being free to dance with my prince charming."  
  
***  
  
"Mou! Don't tell me mother that you will let her ride the carriage with us." Tomoe said. "I don't like her sitting beside me. She will ruin my dress. And duh... what will she wear."  
  
"I'm here." Kaoru said, hearing Tomoe's last comment about her. "Uhm... can I really go with you? Are you sure, Aunt Megumi?" she asked uncertainly.  
  
"I told you, right?" Megumi said. "Now let's go. We'll be late for the ball." she said and turned to look at Kaoru when she was about to get inside the carriage. "You're not getting inside. You take the place beside the coachman."  
  
"H-hai." Kaoru nodded and she could hear Kamatari's loud giggle from inside the carriage as she took the place beside Yahiko.  
  
"You look prettier than anyone." Yahiko smiled. "You don't need an elegant kimono to be better. For me you're the best."  
  
"Thank You." Kaoru blushed as she smiled sweetly at Yahiko. "Thanks for always making me feel okay."  
  
"It's alright." Yahiko turned to look away from her, blushing. "That is what Kamiya-sensei will say if he can see you now. And besides that's what friends are for, ne busu?"  
  
"Arigato, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru giggled, seeing Yahiko frown.  
  
tbc...  
  
A/N: okay that was it. leave me you're reviews, onegai? 


	3. You again?

A RK Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They are not mine. Heck, I'm just using them to write this silly idea of mine so don't sue me.  
  
Notes: Hehehe... Do you think Yahiko OOC? Hehehe, sorry if I made him kinda out of character but I think Yahiko can be really nice especially when he know that Kaoru is feeling down, let's just put it that way, ne? And I do know that Kamatari is a *ehem* he. Let's just say he is a she. Hehehe... Nevermind, on with the story...  
  
Chapter 3: You again?  
  
"Why do I have to do this?" Kenshin frowned as he sat on his room, staring at several carriage arriving through the window.  
  
"You're parents only wants to see you… you know… settle down with…" Sano said.  
  
"I don't need to get marry… not this soon!" Kenshin frowned at Sano. "I don't wanna get marry or whatever."  
  
"Yeah I know." Sano nodded. "You always told me that."  
  
"Can you think of any idea how can I escape this stupid ball thing?"  
  
"C'mon Kenshin. Stop being so stubborn." Sano said. "It's not that you have to pick a girl you have to marry in this ball!" he added reading what is in the mind of his best friend. "All you have to do is to make an appearance in this thing then… No big deal!"  
  
"No big deal, you say." Kenshin frowned again, standing up. "Sano, you know how boring it could be."  
  
"Come to think of it, pal. There would be plenty of pretty girls there." Sano winked at Kenshin. "Who knows, you may find that girl of your dreams this night."  
  
"Yeah right." Kenshin said in a mock voice. "There will be a lot of pretty girls out there. C'mon Sano, we all know that they only want my attention because they only want my money, they only want fame."  
  
"I give up." Sano said raising his hands in defeat. "I don't know how to convince you anymore." He sighed. "I'm just asking you, Kenshin. Please, just make an appearance in the ball or your father is going to kill me." He said before leaving Kenshin alone in his room.  
  
***  
  
"Do I look good? Do I look good?" Kamatari asked to her mother and sister.  
  
"You look like a pig stuck in a small sack." Tomoe muttered under her breath and her sister glared at her.  
  
"You want me to tell you how you look like? You look like an old hag trying to scare everyone inside the palace."  
  
"WHY YOU LITTLE PIG-?!?"  
  
"WHY YOU OLD MAID-?!?"  
  
"Just stop it, you two." Megumi said, trying to stop her two daughters from arguing. "You two look the best." She smiled at her two daughters as they smiled back sweetly. "Unlike some other girl that I know." She added throwing a disgusted glance at Kaoru, who looked down.  
  
"Yeah. Unlike some other person out there." Kamatari and Tomoe both said, smiling.  
  
"Just remember that you are not supposed to go in there, understand?" Megumi said and Kaoru only nodded.  
  
"Yeah. You can't go in there! You'll only humiliate us. I mean…" Kamatari said, looking at Kaoru from head to toe. "Wearing that thing… Mou! So old-fashioned!"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru said in a low voice.  
  
"So, we'll leave you here with the coachman." Megumi said, before walking towards the huge palace with her daughters.  
  
Kaoru only sighed as she watched her stepmother and sisters go inside the palace. 'They will surely have a great time, I know. Mou! How I envy them.' She sighed as she leaned on the carriage.  
  
"Hey busu, why all that sighing and all that sad face? …" Yahiko turned to her.  
  
"Mou! How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me busu?" Kaoru frowned at Yahiko who just grinned. "What are you grinning at?"  
  
"Hehe... That's the busu that I know." Yahiko grinned more. "I really missed the busu of before. You are just no fun to be with, you know. You always have something to do or there is always something on your mind."  
  
"Eh? What are you talking about? Of course I'm still like before. I never changed." Kaoru pouted in a childish manner.  
  
"Hehe, of course you're different now. Before you always have time to practice kendo with me, we fought a lot, ne? Do you remember the one time when I accidentally broke that flower vase? You said that was your favorite." he chuckled a little at the thought. "You nearly killed the hell out of me when you found out that I broke it."  
  
Kaoru smiled as she remembered it. That was a gift from her father's friend Hiko Seijurou, a member of the royal army.  
  
"Yeah. I remembered that." she giggled at the thought. "Did it really hurt? I'm sorry but I think you deserve it. That vase is a gift from a family friend." she smiled again. "I'm sorry if I haven't got any time to... you know... hang out with friends, they tell.. it's just that..."  
  
"I know." Yahiko sighed. "You had lots of things to do. I do have works to do too, but I still got time to... do things for myself."  
  
"Yeah." Kaoru nodded at her best friend.  
  
"Yes, yes... that's all you say." Yahiko shook his head, waving a finger at Kaoru's face. "You know sometimes it's not wrong to say no. Don't let them do this to you."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"C'mon busu! I know you want to go in there." Yahiko frowned at her, making a face.  
  
"Nothing like that. Besides I can't go in there. I mean Aunt Megumi..."  
  
"Here we go again." Yahiko sighed. "Then you can go peer through the window. There! They didn't say that you're not supposed to peer."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru's face brightened as she smiled at Yahiko. "Hey! That's a great idea. You know sometimes some pretty good ideas comes in that spiky head of yours."  
  
"Mou! What's wrong with my hair?!?" Yahiko's eyes narrowed at her as she stood straight.  
  
"You wanna go with me?" she asked and Yahiko only shook his head. "Then see ya later!" she said as she walked away.  
  
"Yeah, enjoy!" Yahiko smiled at her back. "You need a break after all."  
  
***  
  
"Sano said all I need to do is an appearance." Kenshin said to himself, pacing back and forth inside his room. "Make an appearance that's all. He never say that I need to stay in the ball and 'socialize' with people."  
  
He sighed as he stared again at several carriages outside through the window. "Oro? How come there are so many carriages there?" he sighed again, 'My father must've planned it well.'  
  
His eyes fell on the table beside his huge bed. On a certain blue-indigo ribbon laid there silently. Without knowing it, he was clutching the ribbon on his fist, taking in the scent of it. 'Jasmine Rose...' he murmured to himself. 'Smells like jasmine rose...' he sighed again, as he put the ribbon on his pocket.  
  
"I'd rather be walking around there, meeting several town's people than stay here, dance with those girls or whatever." he said to himslef. "But I promised Sano that... okay... I only promised that I will only appear in the ball anyway." he smiled, "Then... maybe after making an appearance, I could go out... and..." he smiled wider at the thought before going out of his room.  
  
***  
  
"Oh... How wonderful..." Kamatari said dreamily to no one. "It seems it would only take a little more minutes before I will finally see my groom-to-be..."  
  
"Sorry?" Tomoe snorted behind her sister. "You are saying something?"  
  
"Shut up, old maid! Don't ruin my night!" Kamatari glared at her sister who glared back. "You are just jealous because you can see that many guys are staring at my goddess-like beauty."  
  
"Uh-oh... sorry? did I get it right? Goddess-like beauty? Are you making me sick?" Tomoe said, looking like she was about to puke. "They are staring at you because they are feeling pity for a huge pig stuck in a small rotten sack."  
  
"You are jealous." Kamatari said ignoring her sister's last comment. "Who would waste time to an old lady like you! Gosh, even the prince will be scared at your monster-like looks. Hehehe... I mean the prince doesn't need a mother, he needs a wife... a princess..."  
  
"Then it would be not you." Tomoe said back, now aware of some heads turned to their direction. "The prince wouldn't like a pet like you... Come to think of it, the prince will never want a pig as a pet!"  
  
"WHY YOU-?!?" Kamatari throw a deadly glare at her sister. "You are just jealous!!! Jealous!!! I mean the prince will never want a woman ten years older than him. I mean you're thirty."  
  
"I'M ONLY TWENTY!!!! ONLY TWO YEARS OLDER THAN THE PRINCE!!!" Tomoe spit out at her sister. "I mean, look who's talking! you're 19 and the prince is only 18 (hehehe... Kenshin? 18?)."  
  
"At least I look younger than my age." Kamatari said. "Unlike some other girls out there who looked like ten years older than their real age."  
  
"I HAD ENOUGH-!!!!"  
  
"Tomoe! Kamatari! Stop making a scene!" Megumi's superior voice stopped her two daughters from killing each other. "Will you act like a real lady? The prince will never give an eye for the two of you if you act like some sort of a low-class woman like your step sister."  
  
"Yeah! I don't want to be a low-class woman like Kaoru!!!" Kamatari giggled and Tomoe only nodded.  
  
"Then you act like a well-refined woman." Megumi smiled at her two daughters.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen..." the butler said aloud, making all heads turned to the elegant staircase. "The Prince of Tokyo... Himura Kenshin." he said as Kenshin appeared.  
  
"Yeah, I knew he will do it this time." Sano from the crowd smiled as he watched Kenshin join the people. "Hehe, I knew it."  
  
"The Prince! The Prince!" Kamatari said dreamily. "He will go to me! I knew it! He will come for me!!!" she giggled as she started to blush furiously at the thought.  
  
"Mother, do I look good? Do I look good? Do I need to let Kaoru fix my ribbon?" Tomoe asked.  
  
"You both look good, my daughters, the prince will surely notice you."  
  
"He will dance with me first!" Kamatari said.  
  
"No, he will dance with me first." Tomoe said smiling.  
  
"Mou! Don't smile! you're gonna scare the prince"  
  
"Mou! Shut up!"  
  
"You two, stop it." Megumi said. "Well-refined young ladies, always remember. The prince will never like a low-class woman."  
  
"Yeah! Like Kaoru!!!!" Tomoe and Kamatari both agreed, smiling widely.  
  
(in the other side of the room)  
  
"Sano you didn't tell me that there will be this number of people." Kenshin said, smiling back politely at everyone who smiled at him. "How can I get out of here if this will be this many."  
  
"I never know your parents will invite this many." Sano said. "Just enjoy, okay? There are so many beautiful young ladies here. Who knows maybe you could finally see the 'right girl' for you."  
  
"Oro? I told you I'm not ready you all of this marriage stuff or whatever. I'm outta here."  
  
"But you haven't dance with someone."  
  
"I'm in no mood to dance."  
  
"C'mon buddy, just chill out."  
  
"I'm outta here." Kenshin said and started to walked out of the room, oblivious to everybody.  
  
***  
  
"The Prince must be already there." Kaoru sighed as she heard the butler announced the arrival of the prince. "Oh... How I wish I was there." she sighed as she sat on the elegant water fountain, watching what is happening through a huge window.  
  
"Mou! i can't get to see what's happenning there from out here." she sighed again. "How I wish Aunt Megumi just let me go with them. I will do anything for that to happen, but they just wouldn't let me. I do look rubbish anyway."  
  
Kaoru just sat there closing her eyes as she heard the orchestra began playing a music. "Tomoe-san and Kamatari-san are surely enjoying the night of their life. One of them must be already dancing with the prince... Oh the prince..." without knowing it, Kaoru stood up, eyes shut as she began to dream again.  
  
She was dressed in an elegant blue gown, her hair was fix in a high elegant bun on her head. She was wearing her mother's blue diamond necklace, a gift from her father. every head was turned to her as she entered, the prince was just standing there, watching her as she walked towards him, giving him one of her brightest smiles. She imagined her prince to be a little taller than her... He has red hair... Yes, flaming auburn hair, dancing softly with the slightest touch o the wind... He has lavender eyes... those soft violet orbs that will take your breath away...  
  
'Oh... how I want to drown into those violet orbs of his...' Kaoru thought dreamily, creating an image of her imaginary prince charming in her mind's eyes. She slowly made a graceful bow at her imaginary prince as the orchestra starts a new music.  
  
'And how I wish to dance with him... Just one dance...' she slowly raised her hands to place it in the shoulder of her imaginary prince and her other hand to take her imaginari prince' other hand. She started to dance with the tune of the music, to dance with the image she have created in her mind.  
  
***  
  
"Good thing I got away from there." Kenshin sighed as he finally have escaped. He sighed, he got to dance, how many girls before finally getting out'... two, three... whatever'  
  
"Finally I'm free." he smiled as he take a deep breath. "I'm free." he smiled again as he turned another corner, careful not to be caught by anyone. He paused in mid-step as he saw a certain girl, sitting in the fountain, watching what's happening inside through the window.  
  
"She... is..." Kenshin's eyes widened when she stood up, making a graceful bow to no one, before raising her hand, making an impression that she is dancing with her eyes closed. "She is that girl!" he said as he remembered the girl he have saved the other night.  
  
Kenshin just stood there as he watched the girl, dancing with the man on her mid's eye. "She is... so... so beautiful... Totemo Kirei..." he said to no one as he admired how her long hair danced with the wind in her slightest move. How the moonlight made her skin glow in the dark...  
  
'Kami-sama, am I dreaming? Was this goddess in front of me... for real?' Before he knew it, he was now standing almost in front of her, making her open her eyes to stare at him quizzically.  
  
***  
  
'Oh... my prince charming... how I wish to see you in front of me now." Kaoru slowly opened her eyes, only to gasp when she saw the person in her mind's eye standing in front of her.  
  
"It's you again..." the man said almost hesistatingly.  
  
"Huh?" Kaoru blinked trying to make sure that she is not dreaming, trying to remember where she have seen that face, and why did it appear in her mind's eye.  
  
"I'm sorry to disturb you... I never mean to watch you... Er... I was just trying to have some fresh air..." Kenshin scratched his head, blushing slightly, flashing an embarass smile.  
  
"Uhm... it's alright..." Kaoru smiled back, as she remembered him. "I know you, you're the one who saved me the other night. I almost didn't recognize you with that." she smiled again.  
  
"Oh this." Kenshin stared down to himself. He was now wearing one of his royal outfits, a white upper and a royal blue pants. "Yeah, quite different from my gi and hakama."  
  
"If I don't know you, I might think that you are actually the prince." she giggled and Kenshin's face paled.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"Eh? Are you alright?" Kaoru asked him worriedly, seeing his face paled. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
"Oro? A-anou... It's nothing." Kenshin again scratched his head. 'I think scratching my head is finally being a habit when I'm in front of her.'  
  
"I'm glad to find you here. Are you invited to attend the royal ball too?" she asked.  
  
"Oro? Hehe... something like that... hehe..." he blushed again when she smiled sweetly at him. The music began to change and he just stood there staring at her.  
  
"Huh?" Kaoru blushed when she noticed him staring at her with a silly smile on her face. "Nani?"  
  
"Would you mind dancing with this unworthy one?" Kenshin said, bowing at her.  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blushed at his gesture before smiling, making a graceful bow before accepting his hand. "It would be my pleasure." She gave him a sweet smile and he smiled back  
  
* … A dream is a wish your heart makes…  
  
when you're fast asleep…  
  
in dreams you will lose your heartaches…  
  
whatever you for, you keep…  
  
… Have faith in your dreams…  
  
and one day…  
  
Your rainbow will come smiling too…  
  
  
  
… No matter how… your heart is beating…  
  
if you keep on believing…  
  
… A dream is wish that'll come true…*  
  
***  
  
"Where is that Kenshin?!?" Sano frowned as he go out to find his friend. "Grrr… he still managed to escape. I really can't understand that one!!! I mean, he's pretty lucky, girls are the one chasing him, whatever." he growled under his breath.  
  
"I swear I'm going to kill him when I find him." he said evilly as he turned to a corner. That is when his eyes widened. He saw his friend there, dancing with a certain young lady, to the tune of the music from inside the palace. A goofy grin appeared in his face.  
  
"I knew it… Hehehe… He will find the 'right girl' for him this night." Sano said. "So that is why he doesn't come back. Hehehe… I will never stop asking you about this one Kenshin, hehehe…" he thought as he walked away, back to the royal ball.  
  
***  
  
"Thank You." Kaoru smiled, making a bow to Kenshin as the music stopeed. "Thanks, Kenshin."  
  
"Oro??" Kenshin stared, a little confused at her. Watching her as she sat on the fountain again. "Why?" he asked as he sat beside her.  
  
"You saved me again. This is the second time now." she said, with a small smile on her face.  
  
"Oro??? I saved you???"  
  
"Oh… yes you do." she giggled seeing his face full of questions. "The first time from all of those bad guys. Now for this loneliness that I felt."  
  
"Oro? You are…" Kenshin's eyes widened. "What made you sad, Kaoru-dono?"  
  
"Mou! What is all about this '-dono' stuff?" she pouted.  
  
"Oro? Gomen-nasai, Kaoru-dono."  
  
"Okay fine." Kaoru sighed. "Anyway thanks. I really enjoyed my night because of you, even though I didn't have that chance to really get in there to actually see the prince." she smiled at him ."But I guess, I'm still lucky to find you here."  
  
"Oro? If that is so… I have to thank you too." Kenshin smiled back. "I mean, you know. I've been pretty bored in there, that's why I go out. Thanks for making my night great."  
  
"Looks like we're quits, ne?" Kaoru said and Kenshin only nodded. Then sighed when she heard the clock strike twelve. "Oh no… I guess, I need to go back now."  
  
"Oro? How come?" Kenshin asked, not wanting to be away from her.  
  
"My stepmother and sisters will be back now." Kaoru said.  
  
"Oh yeah, I know." Kenshin nodded, rather quite disappointed. "We will see each other again, ne?"  
  
"Of course. I would love too." Kaoru smiled at him. "Anytime."  
  
"Okay." Kenshin smiled taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again." he smiled as he let go of her hand.  
  
"Oh… me too." Kaoru smiled and blushing slightly, placing the hand he have squeezed near her heart. "I'm have to be going now." she stood up and Kenshin only watched her go.  
  
"I will see you again, my princess…" he said with a tender look in his eyes. "I will."  
  
***  
  
"Mou! Where are you tanuki-girl!!!" Kamatari called angrily as she stepped in the carriage.  
  
"I'm here." Kaoru said, panting. "How's you night?"  
  
"Shut up and it's none of your business." Tomoe replied curtly following her sister.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Just shut up." Megumi said. "Let's go."  
  
"Hai." Yahiko answered back.  
  
"What was that for?" Kaoru asked Yahiko who shrugged.  
  
tbc...  
  
A/N: Hehehe... that's another chapter done. Thanks for those who reviewed!!! I'm really glad that you guys like it. Till next chappie... see ya!!! Mwahugzzzz!!!! 


	4. The Beginning of a Friendship

A RK Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They are not mine... okay...  
  
Notes: The song used in Ch3 is not mine. It was disney's. You know the theme song of Cinderella in Disney verson.  
  
Chapter 4: Beginning of a Friendship  
  
"Found the right girl, ne Prince Kenshin?" Sano smirked seeing Kenshin get back in the palace, which is at the moment starting to desert as some of the guests are going homwe.  
  
"Oro?!? I don't know what you're talking about." Kenshin said blushing furiously.  
  
"I saw you with the little missy." Sano smirked again seeing Kenshin blushed more. "C'mon so when did you meet her? Tell me, c'mon buddy. I'm your best friend."  
  
"Oro?!? I just met her last night." Kenshin said, starting to walk towards his room with Sano following. "The girl I told you, the one I saved from the bad guys."  
  
"Oh, I see." Sano said, nodding his head. "So, is she the reason why you are so excited to go out, you know, walking around the village?"  
  
"ORO?!? I don't know what you're talking about Sano!" Kenshin said defensively, blushing a little. "I go there just to relax."  
  
"Yeah and meet a certain little missy with long hair in a ponytail, ne?"  
  
"Ah... This is not going to end." Kenshin shook his head as he opened the door to his bedroom.  
  
"C'mon, just tell me. You like her, ne Kenshin? You like that girl! I knew it! Remember what I told you? That you will meet the right girl this night? And you did, ne?"  
  
"I only met her last night!" Kenshin said, frowning as he put his hands on his pocket. His eyes widened when he felt something on his pocket. "Oro?" he said as he draw a blue-indigo ribbon from his pocket.  
  
"Eh? What's that thing?" Sano raised an eyebrow at the thing Kenshin is clutching in his hand.  
  
"Oro?!? No! Nothing!!" Kenshin chuckled, hiding the ribbon his back.  
  
"Give me that! Give me that! Let me see!!!" Sano said as he began to wrestle with Kenshin, trying to snatch the thing on his hand.  
  
"No!!! Sano!!! I told you it's nothing!! Oro?!? Give me that!!!"  
  
"A ribbon?" Sano frowned, staring at the blue-indigo ribbon he have just snatched from his friend. "I never knew you use a ribbon to tie your hair."  
  
"ORO?!? Of course not! Just give me that!" Kenshin said, trying to get the ribbon from Sano who took advatage of Kenshin's height as he examined the ribbon intently.  
  
"Then why are you keeping a ribbon?" Sano frowned at Kenshin. "Don't tell me you're a gay?!? God Kenshin!!! So that's why you don't like those pretty girls!!! I never knew you prefer guys."  
  
"ORORORO?!?!? I'M NOT A GAY!!!!" Kenshin glared at Sano.  
  
"Okay, okay." Sano said, throwing the ribbon on a table. "What's the puss all about? It's just a ribbon."  
  
"This is Kaoru-dono's ribbon. I can't believe I forgot to return it to her." Kenshin sighed as he put the ribbon on his pocket again.  
  
"Kaoru? The 'right girl' ne?"  
  
"Just let it drop Sano."  
  
"If you don't like her, then why do you have her ribbon?"  
  
"One of the guys managed to cut my arm, the night I saved Kaoru-dono. She used her ribbon to keep my arm from bleeding." Kenshin smiled at the thought.  
  
"Hey, hey. What is all with that goofy smile?" Sano said, punching Kenshin's back lightly. "I knew it. Just tell me you like her!!!"  
  
"Fine, fine!" Kenshin said, blushing a little. "So what if I like her? But it's nothing more than that."  
  
"That's where it all started, Himura! A little crush then it will develop into something more."  
  
"Oro? But who knows if I will ever see her again?" Kenshin sighed.  
  
"You have her ribbon. You can go back to town, return it to her." Sano said. "Besides, you have walked her home, so you already know where she lives."  
  
"Eh?" a silly smile appeared on Kenshin face, and Sano smirked knowingly. "Yeah. That's right."  
  
"Now tell me you don't like her." Sano muttered. 'I can now see that it will surely develop into something! I'm sure of it.'  
  
***  
  
"One, two, three..." Kaoru counted as she took several swings on her bokken. It's been a long time since she have practiced with her bokken.  
  
"Doing some practice for a change, ne?" Yahiko said, grabbing a bokken from the dojo and joining Kaoru in her practice.  
  
"Aunt Megumi and the others was still asleep." Kaoru said in between swings. "And besides I think I need some exercise. It's been a long time since I last practiced."  
  
"Yeah." Yahiko said, suddenly attacking Kaoru with his bokken. She quickly blocked it with her own bokken.  
  
"What was that for?!?"  
  
"Hehe... I just want to know if you still can hold you weapon against me." Yahiko smirked as he jumped away from Kaoru.  
  
"Was that a challenge?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked back at him, positioning herself in a defensive stance.  
  
"Take it like that." Yahiko said as he lunge an attack to his friend. Kaoru only stepped a little to the left to avoid his bokken. "I won't go easy on you, busu."  
  
"Mou! Who says I want you to go easy on me!!! You're just afraid that I will beat you up again just like before, ne Yahiko-CHAN?" Kaoru smiled seeing Yahiko beginning to fume. He really hate it when she called him chan.  
  
"Grrr... Shut up old hag!!!" Yahiko glared at Kaoru who glared back at him after hearing her 'favorite' nick name from him.  
  
"Mou!!! I'll get you for that, little brat!!!!" she said as she lunged forward, only to stop mid-way, catching Yahiko off guard as she hit him on his side. "Hehe... Looks like I can still beat you as before, ne Yahiko-chan?"  
  
"Grrr... You just caught me off guard. I'm really not gonna get easy on you." he said, rubbing his back, standing up in a defensive stance.  
  
"Fine." Kaoru smirked as she lunged again, this time Yahiko blocked her attacks. "Looking good." she said in between her attacks. "You can block my attacks."  
  
"Heh... As if!! You're always a slow poke, busu. Even a cry baby can blocked your attacks."  
  
"NANI?!?" Kaoru glared at him, as they both backed away from each other. "How dare you call me a slow poke?!? Small kid!!!"  
  
"You are!!! And I'm not a small kid!!!!" Yahiko growled. "We're just the same age!!!!"  
  
"But I'm taller than you!" Kaoru smirked when she saw Yahiko throw a deadly glare at her. 'And it's been a long time since I've last seen him fume like that.' she added to herself.  
  
"This is it!!! Don't wail like a child if I hit you hard enough." Yahiko grumbled angrily as he jumped high, grabbing his bokken over his head.  
  
"Oh yeah." Kaoru smirked as she positioned her bokken horizontally, with both hands, jumping to meet Yahiko's weapon. They both landed on the floor, panting.  
  
'Great she's already tired. I can catch her now.' Yahiko smirked mentally. He quickly jumped towards Kaoru while she was still catching her breath, trying to catch her off guard. But the old shinodohai was still quick, dodging his attack and hitting him on back. "OucH!!!" he cried in pain as he landed on the floor, with a loud thug.  
  
"See, I can still beat you Yahiko-chan. Who says I was a slow poke!" Kaoru smirked as she watched Yahiko sit on the floor, rubbing him back again. "I always beat you."  
  
"Heh... As if! Not because you beat me today... you're still an old busu anyway." Yahiko said aloud making Kaoru fume.  
  
"Mou! HoW Dare you call me names!!!! Watch you big mouth little Yahiko-boy!!!!"  
  
"Grrr... How dare you call me little boy?!?"  
  
"What do you call yourself then?!? A man?!? C'mon don't make me laugh, brat!!!"  
  
"And you want me to call you a girl?!? You're just an old hag stuck in a girl's body!!!"  
  
"WHY YOU-?!?"  
  
And that was it. Kaoru and Yahiko fought in a huge puff of smoke, both calling each other names, those things that they both missed. The name-callings, the everyday practice, their usual bickerings... Things that they haven't done since Kaoru started working for her step mother.  
  
"You dare call me a busu!!!!"  
  
"You dare call me a little brat!!!!"  
  
"KAORU!!!! What in the hell are you doing playing with that boy!!!" Megumi appeared in the dojo, looking really pissed off. Making Kaoru and Yahiko stop fighting.  
  
"G-gomen..." Kaoru started to say but Megumi stopped her.  
  
"Have you prepared our breakfast?!?" Megumi snarled angrily at her.  
  
"Hai. I have cooked breakfast after practicing." Kaoru nodded. "Don't worry I will start doing the laundry now." she said before placing her bokken and Yahiko's back to it's place.  
  
"Make it quick! You still have to go to the market to buy Tomoe some needles and thread. She's going to do some cross-stitching today." Megumi said before walking back to the mansion.  
  
"Eh? Back again to work?" Yahiko sighed. "Still got to feed the horses anyway."  
  
"Yeah." Kaoru sighed too. "Maybe we could practice again. First thing in the morning ne?"  
  
"Yeah." Yahiko nodded. "And next time I won't go easy on you again, ugly busu!!!" he added before running for his life.  
  
"MOU!!!" Kaoru only sughed in exasperation, stucking her tongue out on him. "Beh!!!!!"  
  
***  
  
"Mou!" Kaoru sighed. "I still can't get why Tomoe-san needs this so many threads and why Kamatari-san wants some sweets again. I only bought that huge box of sweets yesterday. Don't tell me she have eaten it all yet." she giggled at the thought.  
  
"I can't really think of how she could do it." she smiled more to herself as she walked around the town towards Tae's dress shop. "In just a day... but come to think of it, doing this gives me an excuse to visit some of my friends in town." she smiled again widely to some people who passed by her.  
  
"Ohayo!" Kaoru greeted happily as she entered her friend's shop. "How's business doing, Tae-san?"  
  
"Oh, it's you again, Kao-chan." Tae smiled happily at the younger lady. "Have a seat."  
  
"No." Kaoru shook her head. "I just went it to buy some threads and needles. Tomoe-san is cross-stsching."  
  
"Oh, a moment. Can you give me the list?" Tae said and Kaoru handed her a piece of paper. "So are they treating you well?" she asked as she search for some colors of DMCs.  
  
"Uhm... well, just the usual." Kaoru smiled.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of really." Tae looked up to Kaoru and sighed. "They let you go to the ball last night?"  
  
"Well something like that." Kaoru smiled.  
  
"Eh? What do you mean something like that?" Tae frowned.  
  
"Well they only let me go with them, but they didn't let me go inside the palace." Kaoru said. "But I do have the chance to peek through the window. I have watched the people dance through the window." she blushed.  
  
"Did you see him?"  
  
"No." Kaoru shook her head, and touch her face feeling her face blush more.  
  
"What's with all that blushing?" Tae smiled. "Did you meet someone?"  
  
"Eh? Yeah." Kaoru replied shyly. "I saw that man who saved me from those bad guys the other night."  
  
"Oh I see." Tae smiled knowingly. "What happened?" she asked.  
  
"Well, it's really weird." Kaoru giggled. "But he asked me for a dance. We danced out there, down by the moonlight."  
  
"Oh how romantic!" Tae said dreamily.  
  
"C'mon Tae-san he's just a new friend." Kaoru said blushing even more.  
  
"I never said anything." Tae said, smiling again. "You sound so defensive, Kao-chan."  
  
"I am?" Kaoru asked shyly.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Tae said, giving Kaoru the things she needed.  
  
"Thanks Tae-san." Kaoru smiled as she carried the bag with her. "So i guess I'll see you later."  
  
"Yeah." Tae said with a twinkle of her eyes. "Be careful on your way. Come back again."  
  
"Hai, hai." Kaoru nodded, smiling brightly at her friend.  
  
***  
  
"Where can I find her?" Kenshin asked to no one as he walked around the town, hands on the sleeves of his gi. "I should've just go to her house. Maybe she's there."  
  
'But that was sooo embarassing! What would I tell her if I went to her house?' he thought. 'At least I can accidentally bump her when I see her in here. Then I could walk her home again, some things like that. But the thing is... I can't find her.'  
  
He sighed again. 'Why am I feeling like this? I just met her a couple of days ago. Why am I looking forward in seeing her again? Come to think of it, I'm using her ribbon just to see her again. What happens next if I give it back to her? I will lost my reason on seeing her again.' he sighed again. He was deep in his thoughts that he never noticed the young he have bumped.  
  
"ORO?!?"  
  
"Oh no." the girl whom he bumped, was now on the ground picking up some colorful thread and things used for sewing on the ground.  
  
"G-Gomen-nasai..." Kenshin said, helping the girl pick up the things on the ground. "I'm really sorry, I'm not watching my way. I have something in my mind that I never notice you."  
  
"Eh? You again?"  
  
Kenshin looked up only to drown in those deep blue orbs staring back at him. He can't believe it! She is really in front of him.  
  
"K-Kaoru-dono?"  
  
"Yeah." Kaoru smiled as she picked the last item on the ground putting it inside the bag. "Thanks." she smiled at Kenshin who puts the things he have got to her bag. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Oro? A-anou..." Kenshin stammered.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"ORO???" Kenshin tried to say something but he just can't. 'Baka say something!'  
  
"It's alright, if you don't want to tell me." Kaoru said. "I'm going to buy some sweets in Kionji-san's bake shop. Wanna join me?"  
  
"H-hai." Kenshin nodded as he walked beside her. "A-ano... Kaoru-dono, i was really... oro???"  
  
"Eh? You what?"  
  
"Oro??? Eh??? A-anou... I was really... uhm..." Kenshin gulped. "What a wonderful sight!" he said aloud pointing to the first thing he saw.  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru stared, bit puzzled, at the thing Kenshin is pointing, it was a man selling some colorful balloons nearby.  
  
'Baka! What so wonderful about that???' Kenshin silently kicked himself for saying something foolish.  
  
"Kenshin? Daijobou?"  
  
"Oro??? Hai! Hai! Daijobou!" Kenshin smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.  
  
"If you say so..." Kaoru said. "Here we go." she said as she entered a bake shop, Kenshin followed her.  
  
"Ohayo!" Kaoru gladly greeted.  
  
"Ohayo! Oh! Kaoru-chan!" Kionji smiled happily at the young lady. "It's good to see you again." his eyes fell on the man beside Kaoru. "Oh, it's you again."  
  
"Ohayo, Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the old man. "You still remembered me."  
  
"Of course." Kionji smiled. "I never thought you knew Kao-chan. Want some cake?" he again asked, offering some sweet cake and tea to Kenshin and Kaoru.  
  
"Oh, don't..." Kaoru was about to refuse but Kionji push a plate of cake to her. "Arigato." she smiled shyly.  
  
"Eh? I just met her a couple of days and I kinda bumped into her this morning." Kenshin said, again scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Oh I see. Of course I still remember you. Especially that scar on your face. And the red hair too." Kionji said. "The exact description of the prince! Red hair and huge scar on his left cheek! One may think that you are the prince disguising himself as some sort of farm boy, or something like that."  
  
Kenshin nearly choked at Kionji's comment. "Ororororo????!???!"  
  
"Eh? Daijobou, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked worriedly as she pat his back.  
  
"Hai, hai..." Kenshin smiled nervously. "Don't worry."  
  
"That scar is actually my fault." Kaoru said. "I mean, he got it when he saved me from the bad guys."  
  
"Oh you do?" Kionji said to Kenshin. "It's good thing. How come you're walking alone in the dark! it's very dangerous Kao-chan. Good thing Kenshin-san found you." he turned, stern faced to Kaoru who smiled sheepishly.  
  
"But it's not your fault Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said. 'I already got this scar ages.'  
  
"It's in the past, so let's just forget it, ne?" Kaoru smiled and Kenshin again could only drown.  
  
"Here's the sweets Kao-chan." Kionji smiled, watching the couple staring at each other, snapping Kenshin and Kaoru back to reality.  
  
"A-arigato... Kionji-san." Kaoru smiled. "So, I guess I'll see you next time. Thanks for the cakes."  
  
"Anytime, Kao-chan." Kionji smiled. "You too, Kenshin-san. You visit here anytime ne?"  
  
"Arigato Kionji-dono." Kenshin smiled at the kind man, before going out with Kaoru.  
  
"I can carry those for you, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin offered.  
  
"Oh, it's alright I can..." she never finished her sentence as Kenshin snatched the bag and box she is carrying. "Mou!"  
  
"Hehe... what kind of a gentleman I am, if I let you carry all of this stuffs?" Kenshin smiled at her.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks."  
  
"Kaoru-dono... uhm..." Kenshin again stammered.  
  
"Eh? Nani?"  
  
"You know... er... I was really... uhm... l-l-looking..." Kenshin gulped. "Iwasreallylookingforyou"  
  
"Eh? Sumimasen?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow and Kenshin gulped again.  
  
"Anou... I wan saying... I was realy... l-l-looking... uhm... f-for... you." Kenshin said finally.  
  
"Eh? How come?" Kaoru said with a blush.  
  
"Oro? I want to give you something." Kenshin said, taking something from his pocket. "This..."  
  
"That's my ribbon!" Kaoru smiled at him. "you kept it?"  
  
"This is yours." Kenshin gave the ribbon to Kaoru but she shook her head. "Oro??"  
  
"You can keep it." Kaoru smiled.  
  
"Oro???" Kenshin frowned, full of question marks.  
  
"As a sign of our friendship." she smiled again. "So you can always remember that you have a friend named Kaoru."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin smiled as realization hit him. "Of course. I will take care of it." he smiled as he put it back on his pocket.  
  
"I'm glad." Kaoru said. "Here we are now." she said as they reach the huge Kamiya mansion. "Thanks for walking me home again and for carrying my things."  
  
"Anytime Kaoru-dono." Kenshin smiled. "So, can I see you again?"  
  
"I told you Kenshin... of course." Kaoru nodded with a smile. "We're friends, ne?"  
  
"Friends... Sounds good to me." Kenshin said.  
  
tbc...  
  
A/N: Another chappie done. What do you think? Like it? Not? Tell me! Leave your reviews. till next chappie!!! Ja!!! 


	5. The Appearance of one Yukishiro Enishi

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They are not mine...  
  
Chapter 5: The appearance of one Yukishiro Enishi...  
  
"What a very wonderful day!" Kaoru sighed as she stared at the blue sky, raising a hand to cover her eyes from the sun's bright light. "Wish I had more time to admire the morning beauty everyday." she sighed again as she continued scrubbing one of Kamatari's sleeping yukata.  
  
"I have to finish this quickly. Aunt Megumi told me to clean the whole mansion." she said to herself. "Looks like they're expecting a guest or something like that."  
  
"Ohayo, busu." Yahiko smirked at Kaoru who is bent on her laundry. "Working first thing in the morning? I thought you said that you'll practice with me."  
  
"I already finished practicing, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru smiled back at Yahiko who narrowed his eyes on her.  
  
"I see." Yahiko shrugged. "Guess they let you do more works than the usual."  
  
"Something like that."  
  
"We're the same." Yahiko sat on a pile of wooden bucket near Kaoru. "You can't believe what they want me to do."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked as Yahiko handed Kaoru a long list of groceries. "What is all of this for? They're not expecting a whole army to visit, are they?"  
  
"Yeah." Yahiko nodded. "Looks like they will make you do everything, that's what I'm afraid. Not that I care of course."  
  
"Oh." Kaoru sighed. "Guess, I need to finish this quickly then." she said before concentrating on her laundry again.  
  
"Guess I have to be going then." Yahiko yawned. "See you later." he waved as he left.  
  
"See you later, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru smiled watching him leave. "I think it's all finished." she sighed as she carried a bucket full of her washed clothes, to be hanged on the clothesline.  
  
"There you are." Tomoe and Kamatari emerged from the house, walking towards Kaoru.  
  
"Have you seen the kid?" Kamatari asked, looking around.  
  
"eh? Yahiko? He just left." Kaoru said.  
  
"What?!? Why did you let him leave!!! Mou!!! You ignorant girl!!!" Kamatari gasped looking horrified.  
  
"Eh? Is there something wrong?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"I forgot to let him buy me a new hair pin. Mou! An important person will be coming here." Kamatari said, in a melodramatic voice. "I mean I have to look good in front of him! This person is apparently very close to the king!!! So I have to look good, you know... to give them an impression that I am really the right girl for the Prince."  
  
"Oh, stop dreaming, Kamatari! The prince wouldn't give an eye for you! I mean, with all of those baby fats you got!" Tomoe smirked. "He will surely run away from you."  
  
"You're just jealous because I'm cute and you are not!" Kamatari said.  
  
"I'm not! You are the one jealous." Tomoe snarled, starting to fume.  
  
"Ha?!? As if! Why would I be jealous of you, YOU OLD MAID!!!" Kamatari smiled. "I mean, the prince doesn't want a sugar mommy or something, he wants a girl who will make him happy."  
  
"YOU-?!?" Tomoe was about to pull Kamatari's hair when Kaoru stepped in between the two sisters.  
  
"I'll do it, okay." Kaoru said. "Just calm down. I'll just finish hanging your clothes dry."  
  
"Really?" Kamatari smiled sweetly at Kaoru, like a child given her most favorite candy.  
  
"Then you go buy me a new bottle of White Plums perfume." Tomoe added, coldly.  
  
"Okay." Kaoru nodded with a smile. "You can go now and prepare for this very important guest, I'll take care of everything you need."  
  
"Thanks!" Kamatari announced happily running back inside.  
  
"You better get it quickly!" Tomoe, in contrast to her sister, just said coldly.  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded again as Tomoe left. "Better finish this now." she sighed as she continued on her tracks.  
  
***  
  
"Working for a change, ne?" Sano smirked, picking up a folder from Kenshin's office desk to read it.  
  
"Yeah. Father let me examine this documents." Kenshin nooded, looking really exhausted.  
  
"Looking pretty complicated." Sano said, throwing the folder back to Kenshin.  
  
"You say." Kenshin sighed before pushing a thick book in front of him aside. "I think I'm going to die now." he said, standing and walking towards the huge window to stare at the world outside the palace.  
  
"If you're thinking of sneaking out the palace again, you better not do it." Sano said flatly.  
  
"Oro? How come?" Kenshin frowned at Sano who nodded.  
  
"Looks like you're most favorite person will be going back here."  
  
"Eh? Yukishiro Enishi, you mean?" Kenshin growled. "How come?!?"  
  
"Seems that his business in Kyoto in already finished." Sano said. "Looks like your father let him come back."  
  
"Yeah, that sounds like my father." Kenshin sighed. "Hate to admit it but, even what a great man he was, my father was always like Yukishiro's puppet. He always listened to him, more than to me."  
  
"Yeah." Sano agreed. "You better be careful now, the last time, your father told him to tail you everywhere you go, I guess he will do it again now. You see, he's the one who told your father that you should get married now, ne?"  
  
"Yeah, I just remember." Kenshin nodded. "I can now see what will happen next. Grr... I wish he just stayed there in Kyoto! You know even if how much he tried to be nice, I can't get to like that man. I mean I don't trust him!"  
  
"Yeah, me too." Sano said sternly. "I mean, I know there's something dark behind those mask that he used to show everybody. I just know it."  
  
"I agree. Sano... can you do me a favor?" Kenshin asked and Sano nodded. "I don't know but I don't like this feeling... everytime that he's here something bad always happen. Remember that event last year, when he suggested that I go to Hokkaido?"  
  
"Yeah, some pretty psycho swords man attacked you. Little they know that you are very good in using a sword." Sano smirked. "You beat them all in just a second."  
  
"Yeah, and when my father planned to go to Yokohama?" Kenshin added. "A huge fire broke out in the place my father is supposed to go. Good thing he got some pretty bad dose of flu that he cancelled his appointments there."  
  
"Yeah. I guess you have your reason to doubt this guy." Sano said. "Don't worry pal, I'll keep an eye on him."  
  
"Thanks, Sano." Kenshin smiled in appreciation to his best friend.  
  
***  
  
"A pretty important person? Working for the king?" Tae sighed as Kaoru told her what Kamatari said earlier. "Just what they needed."  
  
"eh?" Kaoru blinked at the older woman.  
  
"A pretty good connection to the prince." Tae shook her head. "You see, Megumi wanted one of her daughters to become a princess, she will use that special person to make that happen."  
  
"Oh." Kaoru nodded in understanding. "Maybe one of them will really become a princess then."  
  
"Oh no, no, no, Kao-chan." Tae said, shaking her head, handing Kaoru a brown bag. "You always remember that the prince will never want some kind of girls like them."  
  
"Eh? Why?" Kaoru asked, hugging the brown bag to her. "I mean, Tomoe-san and Kamatari-san are both beautiful. Why will the prince won't like a girl like them."  
  
"You always remember that it's not the outside beauty that always counts, sometimes you inner beauty does counts." Tae winked. "... who knows, maybe someday you won't be coming here again since you will be living there, in the palace."  
  
"Hey! That will never happen." Kaoru giggled. "I mean, I'm not beautiful, a prince will never give an eye for me. I mean I'm just a no one. Prince Kenshin will want a girl, his class, not me."  
  
"Oh Kaoru don't say things like that." Tae waved a finger on her face. "You are beautiful, Kao-chan. You just still haven't found a way to show your inner beauty."  
  
"Inner beauty?"  
  
"You know, every person is beautiful in every single way, in every unique way." Tae smiled. "Trust me, my dear. I know... and, I don't want to hear you saying that you are a no one, coz you're not. You are ver wonderful girl, my dear. Your smile made many people happy, you are a bright girl, a smart girl, don't think lowly of yourself, okay?"  
  
"Okay. Thanks." Kaoru smiled back at Tae. "So I guess I'll see you next time."  
  
"Yeah." Tae smiled again widely, waving as Kaoru left the shop. "See you next time."  
  
Kaoru walked towards the Kamoya mansion, smiling at everyone who passed by. 'Mou, I better go back quickly or Aunt Megumi will surely be mad at me. She told me to stay at home the whole day... and plus, I don't want Kamatari-san and Tomoe-san to get mad at me too. They can be pretty impatient at times.'  
  
She quickened her pace, and when she was about to cross the road, a speeding carriage almost hit her...  
  
***  
  
"You stupid coachman! Can't you make it go faster? I still got an appointment with the king after I visit a friend." a white-haired, not so kind-looking man, snarled angrily at his coachman.  
  
"Hai, hai, Sir Yukishiro." the coachman nervously replied. He knew how is master can be so scary when he gets mad.  
  
"Stupid people." Yukishiro Enishi muttered under his breath. "If only my men will be more... wiser... maybe the entire Empire of Tokyo will now be..." his musings was cut off when his carriage puts on a sudden stop.  
  
"WHAT IS IT AGAIN?!?" Enishi angrily yelled. "You stupid coachman! Do you want to get fired?!?" he added in annoyance, stepping out of his carriage.  
  
"But... sir... it's the girl..." the coachman, said nervously to his master, pointing at the long haired girl on the ground. "She..."  
  
"What the hell are you thinking, you stupid girl?!?" Enishi angrily went to the kneeling girl, trembling with fear.  
  
***  
  
"HEY!!!"  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked upon heaaring a man's voice yelling at her, and at the sound of a speeding carriage coming nearer and nearer. Her eyes widened both with fear and shock, when she turned her head, seeing a speeding carriage running towards her.  
  
'No.' she thought as she run trying to avoid the carriage when she tripped on her foot, sending her tumbling forward, the things she have bought, scattered on the ground.  
  
"Itai..." she bit her lips when she tried to stand up, but found out that she have twisted her ankle, making it hard for her. 'No...' she closed her eyes, afraid to see what will happen next.  
  
"What the hell are you thinking, you stupid girl?!?"  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru slowly opened her eyes when she heard a man's angry voice.  
  
"You heard me, beggar!! If you want to die, don't involve other people!!" the man snarled again.  
  
"G-gomen... g-gomen..." Kaoru said, trying to stand up but her ankle is killing her. "Ouch..." she bit her lips again, trying not to cry out in pain.  
  
"Sorry!" the man growled in annoyance, almost kicking Kaoru on the ground. "You say sorry?!? You think that's enough?!? You see..." the man knelt beside her and she just trembled in fear of what this man will do to her. "... you're wasting my time?!? I am in an important meeting with the king after I visit some friends here!!!" she saw him frowning at her, in the corners of her eyes.  
  
"I-I'm s-sorry... I was just..." Kaoru looked up at the white haired man, straight on his eyes. "I need to go back or Aunt Megumi will kill me. I am not supposed to be out here anyway. Tomoe-san and Kamatari-san only... Oh no!!!" her eyes widened in shock as she remembered what Tomoe and Kamatari have told her to buy. She looked down to see the things she bought for her on the ground.  
  
"They're going to kill me!" she gasped, picking up a hair pin and a bottle of perfume, which was unfortunately broken, on the ground. "No..."  
  
***  
  
Enishi just stared at the young lady in front of him, picking up some things on the ground, forgetting about his anger. 'Kirei...' he thought watching her gasped as she picked up the broken pieces of a perfume box. 'Totemo Kirei...'  
  
"They are going to kill me." she muttered again. "Not the perfume! It is very expensive! I can't replace it." she sighed sadly.  
  
"How did you know Tomoe?" Enishi frowned at the girl.  
  
"Eh?" the girl looked back at him with her shining sapphire eyes. "She is my step sister."  
  
"You are Kamiya's daughter?" Enishi frowned again. 'I know Kamiya has a daughter but I never thought that his daughter will be this... beautiful.'  
  
"How did you know my father?" the girl blinked again.  
  
"I met him in the army. He is with the king's army, ne?"  
  
"Hai." the girl nodded, "...ah! You must be that special guest that they're telling me! " she smiled when she remembered the special guest Tomoe and Kamatari told her earlier.  
  
"Maybe..." Enishi shrugged, forgetting that he will be late for his meeting with the king. "What is your name?"  
  
"Oh... Kamiya. Kamiya Kaoru." the girl smiled brightly at him again.  
  
"Yukishiro Enishi." Enishi said. "Maybe, you could just go to your step mother's house together... since..."  
  
"No! I mean," Kaoru said. "I still need to replace Tomoe-san's perfume."  
  
"Where? I'll take you there." Enishi said.  
  
"Uhm... no, I'll just walk, you go to Aunt Megumi now. They are really waiting for you." she tried to stand up but her ankle really hurt. "Itai..."  
  
"Looks like you can't walk." Enishi grinned. "You should accept my offer then." he offered a hand to help her stand up.  
  
"A-arigato..." Kaoru said, hesitatingly accepting his hand. "Guess so."  
  
***  
  
"You called, father?" Kenshin asked, entering his father's office.  
  
"You know Enishi will be coming back here, ne?" King Okina said, his back to his son as he stared outside throung the window.  
  
"Sano told me."  
  
"You should welcome him."  
  
"Eh?" Kenshin frowned at his father's back. "Why should I?"  
  
"You should be nicer to him, Kenshin." King Okina said, facing his son. "You should be."  
  
"Why? I am not acting bad towards him." Kenshin replied. "It's just that we're not getting along, well... pretty often."  
  
"But everybody can see how you avoided him like he is a poison." Okina said again, sitting on his office chair. "You shouldn't be. He is one of my most trusted person. He is a big help to the army, his knowledge is a big help, specially when we're talking to diplomats... you should be nicer to him."  
  
"But father... you can't change the fact that... I don't trust him." Kenshin said with a slight frown.  
  
"How come? He is trying his best to be your friend."  
  
"I don't trust him." Kenshin repeated. "I have my reasons, not to trust him. I mean... whenever he told you or me to go in a certain place, there is a disaster, or some bad things happen. Remember that last time he told you to..."  
  
"Enough." Okina said. "Everything was just a coincidence. Don't blame everything on Yukishiro. All I ask you is to be nicer with him."  
  
"I can't" Kenshin shook his head. "I'm sorry father but I can't."  
  
"This is an order Kenshin." Okina stood up when his son turned his back to him. "An order from me."  
  
Kenshin just stood there, his back facing his father. 'He is doing it again... he is doing it everytime...' not wanting to argue more with his father he nodded silently, before leaving the room.  
  
'He is always like that.' Kenshin sighed as he left his father's office, going out on the garden, breathing in fresh air. "He always thinks that he could let me do everything he wanted me to do." he sighed again, as he sat on the wooden bench, staring at nowhere.  
  
"Hey!" Sano smirked seeing his friend. "What happened?"  
  
"My father wants me to welcome him." Kenshin said. "He told be to act nicer with him."  
  
"Yeah." Sano sighed as he sat beside Kenshin. "So... what are you planning to do?"  
  
"I don't know." Kenshin sighed again. "I wish he just leave the country."  
  
"That's impossible." Sano said. "I mean. I know he is interested with the empire, ne?"  
  
"Yeah." Kenshin nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if Yukishiro led a whole army to overthrow my father for the throne."  
  
"Sounds possible to me."  
  
"Yeah." Kenshin sighed again. "Now, there will be no chance for me to go out again."  
  
"And see that little missy?" Sano smirked as Kenshin nodded absent-mindedly. "I knew it! I knew it!"  
  
"Oro?!?" Kenshin turned crimson in color at that. "Hey, it's nothing like that! Nothing like that!"  
  
"Hehe! I knew it! I always do! Hehe!"  
  
"Oro! It's nothing like that."  
  
***  
  
"Mou! I knew it!" Tomoe said angrily. "I shouldn't have trusted that girl with my perfume!" she frowned again, pacing back and forth on her room.  
  
"She's not here yet?" Kamatari asked, entering her sister's room without knocking on the door.  
  
"You know how to knock?" Tomoe asked coldly and her sister only snickered.  
  
"Sorry." Kamatari said as she sat on Tomoe's bed. "She's not here yet?"  
  
"Who knows where that ugly girl went?" Tomoe frowned. "I need my perfume!"  
  
"And I need my hair pin." Kamatari said.  
  
"You two!" Megumi emerged. "What are you doing here? Where's that Kaoru? Enishi-kun should be here by any moment."  
  
"Mou!" Kamatari pouted. "Kaoru went out to buy me a hair pin but she never come back."  
  
"What?!? you two send her out?!?" Megumi frowned at her two daughters. "You... Who is supposed to clean the porch without her?!?"  
  
"It's already spotless." Tomoe said. "Kaoru already cleaned it up. Don't be so nervous, mother. It's only Enishi who's coming."  
  
"We should make a good impression to him." Megumi said. "And plus, we can't let him see Kaoru! I mean... we should locked her up in her room."  
  
"Don't worry she must be... oh my God! Mother!" Kamatari's jaw dropped upon seeing a carriage coming, from the window. "He's coming!"  
  
"Oh!" Megumi said. "You two better, prepare yourselves. I'll entertain him, for a moment." she said before leaving her two daughters.  
  
"Mou! I'm going to kill that Kaoru." Tomoe said evilly.  
  
***  
  
"Thanks for the ride." Kaoru smiled at Enishi.  
  
"Are you sure your ankle is okay now?"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "You should come in now." she smiled.  
  
"Okay. Come with me." Enishi offered a hand but Kaoru shook her head.  
  
"Oh no, no..." Kaoru said. "I shouldn't use the front door." she shook her head again.  
  
"What's wrong with that? Come." Enishi said, grabbing Kaoru's left hand and almost dragging her with him.  
  
"Demo..."  
  
"It's alright." Enishi smiled, knocking softly on the door.  
  
"Enishi-kun." Megumi opened the door with a smile. "It's nice to see you again." her smile faded when she saw Kaoru standing beside Enishi.  
  
"You-?!? What are you doing?!?" Megumi pulled Kaoru's arm almost painfully. "You're not supposed to be outside, ne?"  
  
"G-gomen... demo..." Kaoru started to explain but Megumi silenced her with a look. "I think I should give Tomoe-san and Kamatari-san their things." she said before leaving the two.  
  
"Why did you let her go?" Enishi asked Megumi when Kaoru left.  
  
"Don't mind her." Megumi smiled. "Come in." she opened the door wider for him to enter. "A cup of tea?"  
  
"Hai." Enishi nodded. "I never expect Kamiya has a very beautiful daughter." he said making Megumi, almost spill the tea on the floor.  
  
"Nani?" Megumi raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? Did I hear you right?"  
  
"I met her, earlier as I passed by." Enishi said. "She seemed a very nice girl."  
  
"Don't talk like your interested in her. I mean, you can't like a girl like Kaoru. I mean she's just a..." Megumi smiled at Enishi as if he's telling a joke.  
  
"She's wonderful. How can a man not like her?" Enishi said, showing all signs of interest he had on Kaoru. "Tell me, she already have someone? A fiance?"  
  
"No." Megumi shook her head. "She's single."  
  
"I see." an evil smile appeared on Enishi's face. "She's still available then."  
  
"Eh?" Megumi blinked at Enishi as if he'd gone mad. Just then Tomoe and Kamatari emerged in the room, with confident smiled on their faces.  
  
"Enishi-kun, how have you been?" Kamatari asked, smiling sweetly.  
  
"Fine." Enishi nodded at her. "How about you?"  
  
"Perfect." Kamatari replied.  
  
"Nice seeing you again." Tomoe smiled at Enishi who smiled back.  
  
"Pleasure is all mine." he replied. "You two both look lovely."  
  
"Arigato." Tomoe and Kamatari both smiled in appreciation. "You look great too."  
  
"Uhm... Aunt Megumi, more tea?" Kaoru entered the room too, a tray of foods and tea on hand.  
  
"Hai, hai." Megumi suddenly smiled at Kaoru. "Thank you."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked at Megumi's sudden change of behavior. "Arigato." she nodded, placing the tray on a table, before starting to go away.  
  
"No, no. You join us." Megumi said, urging Kaoru to sit on a chair. "Join us."  
  
"But..." Kaoru started to say, but Megumi silenced her with a look. She just nodded and looked down shyly.  
  
"Mother? Why are you letting her join us?" Tomoe whispered when Enishi was not looking. "Look at her! She looked like a mess." she added, pointing to Kaoru's worn-out kimono.  
  
"Enishi-kun seems to be interested on her." Megumi whispered back and Tomoe only made a face.  
  
"How come?" Tomoe eyed Kaoru with disgust. "She looks rubbish."  
  
"I don't know." Megumi whispered back, before saying out aloud. "Oh, I just forgot that I need to do something, with my daughters."  
  
"Eh? Mother?!?" Kamatari gave Megumi a frown. "What are we going to do?"  
  
"Come, you two." Megumi pulled Tomoe and Kamatari with her. "Kaoru, you entertain our guest."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked while Enishi watched the three as they left.  
  
"Tell me more about yourself." Enishi said flatly, turning to Kaoru.  
  
"Eh? Nani?" Kaoru blinked at Enishi. "What about me?"  
  
"You see." Enishi said, giving her a smile. "I want to know more about you."  
  
"More about me? How come?" Kaoru asked, starting to feel nervous. She was now alone with a man she only knew for about an hour ago.  
  
"I'm a very direct person, so I'm going to say it to you direct to the point." Enishi said, inching closer to Kaoru, who backed away a little. "I really think that you are a very wonderful girl."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blushed a little. "N-nani…? S-sorry…"  
  
"And I think that you are beautiful…" Enishi said. "I like you."  
  
Kaoru only blinked at him in disbelief. 'How can this man be so… so… forward…' she thought.  
  
"And I want to know you more." Enishi smiled.  
  
***  
  
"Grrr… that inconsiderate git!" Kenshin growled, pacing back and forth near the entrance of the palace. "What time is it Sano?"  
  
"One o'clock?" Sano said, glancing at the huge clock outside. "He's late."  
  
"Grrr… What time did he think he is going to come?!?" Kenshin said in annoyance. "He is not a very important person, you know."  
  
"Seems like he is." Sano smirked. "He is your father's adviser, ne? Everything he says is done. Everything he wants… he got."  
  
"Yeah, right." Kenshin sighed, "Ten more minutes, I'm going away." he added.  
  
"Yeah." Sano nodded too.  
  
Kenshin began pacing again, when he heard a sound of a carriage coming. He frowned at the man who came out of the carriage.  
  
"It's nice seeing you again, your highness." Enishi bowed at Kenshin who narrowed his eyes on him. "What a pleasure to have you welcoming me back."  
  
"What are you thinking?" Sano burst out in annoyance. "You made him wait for you for almost an hour."  
  
"Oh, the great Sagara Sanosuke is here too." Enishi said sarcastically before turning back tp Kenshin. "I'm sorry for making you wait, your highness."  
  
"Stop the formalities, Yukishiro-san." Kenshin said, trying to sound as polite as he could. "Come in. The King is waiting for you."  
  
"Yes." Enishi nodded, after instructing his boy to put his things on the room provided for him. "Really sorry for being so late. You see, I visited a friend."  
  
"A frined?" Sano raised an eyebrow. "…so that friend, is more important than your appointment with the King!"  
  
"Shut up, Sagara!" Enishi glared at Sanosuke who glared back at him.  
  
"It's alright, Sano." Kenshin nodded to Sano.  
  
"As I was saying." Enishi continued. "I visited a friend. And on my way there, I met someone. A very wonderful girl, indeed."  
  
"That's nice." Kenshin said, really uninterested with everything. 'Like I care.' he added mentally.  
  
"A very wonderful girl, and beautiful. Come to think of it, she is the step daughter of the friend I'm supposed to visit. A very nice coincidence."  
  
"Yeah, right." Sano said sarcastically.  
  
"She is really nice and I really liked her." Enishi continued, ignoring Sano's sarcastic comments. "She is such a very wonderful girl, Kamiya Kaoru really is."  
  
'Kaoru?' Kenshin frowned after hearing her name. "What is her name again?" he turned to Enishi, to make sure that he heard it right.  
  
"Kamiya Kaoru." Enishi nodded.  
  
Kenshin just stood there, staring at Enishi with a bewildered expression on his face. 'Kaoru-dono?'  
  
tbc…  
  
A/N: Another chapter done! What do you think of Enishi's appearnce? Hehehe... Hope you guys will leave me your reviews again. Till next chappies. Hope to hear more from you guys! Ja'ne! 


	6. Some Sweet Conversation

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer's Apply: They are not mine. The great Watsuki-sama owns them.  
  
Chapter 6: Some Sweet Conversation  
  
(next day... morning)  
  
'Kamiya Kaoru. She really is a very wonderful girl.' Kenshin frowned mentally. 'That can't be the same Kaoru that I know. That can't be.' he frowned again, barely listening to what Sano is saying.  
  
"Can you believe the nerve of that psycho-bastard!" growled, unaware that Kenshin is not listening to him. "And who cares if he met a certain girl!! As if! Only a girl with some brain defects would dare go near him!" he spit out loud.  
  
"I can't really understand why you're trying to be... should I say nice.. to him. I mean, you're not doing it because you're father told you, ne?"  
  
"Did I really hear it right." Kenshin said more to himself, making Sano frown at him.  
  
"Are you paying attention?!?" Sano raised an eyebrow. "I just asked you a question!"  
  
"That can't be!" Kenshin stood up, facing the window. "That girl is a different Kaoru. This should be a different girl." he continued, still ignoring Sano.  
  
"Hello? I'm here?" Sano said, waving a hand oh Kenshin's face.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"What are you thinking?" Sano raised an eyebrow. "You are completely ignoring me."  
  
"Oro? I am?" Kenshin scratched the back of his head.  
  
"Yeah, and you are muttering something under your breath." Sano smirked. "I think its a girl's name, if I'm not mistaken. C'mon pal, what is it?"  
  
"Oro? I'm not thinking of any girl!" Kenshin said defensively.  
  
"Fine, fine." Sano raised his hands in defeat. "I wonder what this girl look like anyway, to catch Yukishiro's eye. What is her name again?"  
  
"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru." Kenshin sighed.  
  
"Kaoru? Hey, was the name of that little missy of yours Kaoru too?" Sano raised an eyebrow remembering the girl Kenshin danced with the last ball. "Do you think your little missy and Yukishiro's Kaoru is one girl?"  
  
"I don't know." Kenshin sighed. "I wish I can see Kaoru-dono now. I mean, just to be sure."  
  
"Guess Yukishiro will be your rival, not only in this palace but also in the same girl." Sano smirked and Kenshin sighed.  
  
"Then Kaoru-dono will surely choose him over me." Kenshin sighed. "I mean, I really think that she only sees me as a friend."  
  
"C'mon Kenshin. Why would she like a man like Yukishiro?" Sano frowned. "I mean... she knew nothing about him."  
  
"She knew nothing about me either." Kenshin said, looking again at the world outside.  
  
"Why don't you go out, for a minute and let's say... bump into her again?" Sano suggested, trying to cheer his friend up. "I'll cover you up. Just go back here before dinner, ne? Your father and Enishi won't be here till dinner."  
  
"Hai, hai." Kenshin nodded gratefully at his friend. "Thanks."  
  
"Sure. What are pals for?" Sano puts a thumbs up sign.  
  
***  
  
"Hey, what's up busu?"  
  
"Mou!" Kaoru stopped chopping some vegetables, when Yahiko entered the kitchen, sitting on a rice barrel. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that name!"  
  
"You like old hag then?" Yahiko smirked when he saw Kaoru turned beet red in annoyance.  
  
"Shut up, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru said, going back to her tracks. "I still need to make breakfast."  
  
"I heard that you are getting along with their guest, ne Kaoru?" he asked curiously, picking up two tomatoes and started juggling it.  
  
"Eh? Where did you hear that?" Kaoru turned her back to Yahiko to hide her blush. "That is not true."  
  
"I heard the witches talking about that."  
  
"Witches?"  
  
"Yeah, you know what I mean." Yahiko smirked. "C'mon tell me, busu. How's it going? Maybe if you'll marry a rich guy like that Yukishiro, you can get out of here."  
  
"I will never leave this place. This is where I grow up." Kaoru turned to Yahiko. "My father worked very hard to have this mansion and the dojo! I will never leave this place. Not with them."  
  
"I see." Yahiko nodded more to himself. "I know that. Don't worry. I know how much you love this place."  
  
"Thanks." she gave Yahiko a small smile, before continuing her work.  
  
"No big deal." Yahiko smirked back.  
  
***  
  
"What will I do? What will I do?" Kenshin asked a couple of times to himself, hiding on a huge tree near the Kamiya mansion. He have been hiding in there for almost fifteen minutes.  
  
'Baka! What if somebody sees you here.' He mentally kicked himself. 'All you need to do is to go there and ask if Kaoru is in there. No big deal!'  
  
'Demo… what will I say to her? Should I ask her directly if she likes Enishi or if she know any man by the name of Yukishiro Enishi? Oh… that would be too obvious! I mean… she will ask me how did I know Yukishiro Enishi… Why is this very difficult, anyway?!?' he sighed, looking up to the huge house.  
  
'I know… maybe I'll just wait for her to go out. Then I could accidentally bump into her again… then, I could start a good conversation from then! Yeah, that's it!' he smiled inwardly at the thought. 'Yeah… that's a very good idea.'  
  
"Oi!" a voice from Kenshin's back made him almost jump from his position behind a huge tree. He slowly turned around to see a boy with spiky hair, giving him a suspicious look.  
  
"What are you doing, hiding from there?" the boy frowned at Kenshin. "Are you spying on us?"  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin's eyes widen, searching in back of his mind for some answers. 'Baka! Think! Think! Baka! Baka!'  
  
The boy just stood there, with his brows raised at him, waiting for his response. "…well?"  
  
"Oro? I… I… was just…" Kenshin stammered for an answer.  
  
"Yahiko-chan! There you are!" a sweet voice from behind, made Kenshin's eyes widen. He is sure! That voice is very familiar.  
  
"Yeah, busu." the boy called Yahiko nodded at the girl who emerged from the house.  
  
"Huh?" Kaoru frowned at the man, whose back was turned to her.  
  
"K-Kaoru-d-dono… hi!" Kenshin turned to see her blinking at him with confusion.  
  
"Kenshin? What are you doing here?" Kaoru said.  
  
"A-Anou… I… I…"  
  
"You know him?" Yahiko raised an eyebrow, coming to stand beside the red-haired man.  
  
"Oh, Kenshin… that boy is Myoujin Yahiko. He's my friend." Kaoru said. "Yahiko… this is Kenshin, a new friend."  
  
"Kenshin?" Yahiko blinked at Kaoru in shock. "Wasn't that the prince' name?!?" he turned to face Kenshin, staring at his red hair and on the scar on his face.  
  
"You are the prince?" Yahiko asked the red-haired man in disbelief. "Look, the red hair and the cross scar on his left cheek! You are the prince!Oh… forgive my rudeness, your highness…" he added quickly, bowing at Kenshin.  
  
"Oro?!?"  
  
"Don't be silly Yahiko." Kaoru giggled at her friend. "Of course Kenshin is not the prince! He got that scar when he saved me from those bad guys nights ago. And besides… the prince wouldn't go walking around town, dress up like an ordinary person, just like us."  
  
"Nah!" Yahiko pouted. "Who knows?!? He could really be the prince! What do you say his surname again?" Yahiko turned from Kaoru to Kenshin who 'oroed'.  
  
"M-my s-s-surname???" Kenshin mentally frowned. 'Think, Himura! Think!!!!'  
  
"Yeah, I have never asked you your surname." Kaoru said.  
  
"S-S-Sur-n-n-name… Er……. Uhm…. It's… It's…." Kenshin searched for the back of his mind for any person he know. "Sagara! Sagara Kenshin!" he said quickly, as Sano was the first one who came out of his mind.  
  
"Sagara." Yahiko nodded. "I see."  
  
"See!" Kaoru smirked at Yahiko. "So… what are you doing here, Kenshin?"  
  
"Eh? A-Anou… I was just… uhm… walking around the village…. when I thought that, maybe I could give you a visit… yeah! That's it!" Kenshin said, scartching the back of his head.  
  
"Oh, I see." Kaoru smiled at Kenshin. "Really, you shouldn't be just standing there then, hidden in this huge tree."  
  
"Yeah… How stupid of me…" Kenshin gave a nervous chuckle.  
  
"Hehe… giving Kaoru a visit, huh?" Yahiko gave Kenshin a knowing smile.  
  
"C'mon… let's not just stand here, okay?" Kaoru said, walking towards the house. "You want a cup of tea or something?" she asked opening the back door, connecting to the kitchen.  
  
"Eh, that's fine with me." he smiled at her.  
  
"Come in." Kaoru said.  
  
"Come, Kenshin." Yahiko repeated. "While the three witches are still upstairs."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin gave a clueless look to Yahiko before following them inside.  
  
"Say Kaoru, how about practicing with me, tomorrow?" Yahiko asked, watcing Kaoru boil the kettle, sitting casually on the rice barrel.  
  
"Okay…" Kaoru gave him a smile. "Kenshin, don't stand there." she turned her face to Kenshin, who is still standing by the door. "Take a sit. Sorry for this place… I mean, I can't let you in the couch… Aunt Megumi will be very pissed off."  
  
"Hai." Kenshin nodded, taking a sit on a wooden chair near the table.  
  
"Here." Kaoru smiled, giving Kenshin a cur of tea and some cookies. "You want some, Yahiko?" she turned to the boy who nodded.  
  
"Make yourself, comfortable, please." Kaoru turned again to Kenshin as she picked some vegetables and knives from a shelf. "I just need to finish making lunch before Aunt Megumi and the others get angry."  
  
"Can I watch?" Kenshin said and Kaoru gave him a nod.   
  
'Full of spirits…' he thought, watching Kaoru chopped some radishes. 'She is sooo full of spirit… Kami-sama… I wish I could just sit here and watch her all day…'  
  
Yahiko however, sat, his eyes wandering from Kenshin to Kaoru, from Kaoru to Kenshin. 'Heh… this guy must have something for busu… I mean, the way he is staring at her… it just say it… maybe I could do some more… test… to be sure…' he smirked mentally.  
  
"Uhm, busu!" Yahiko called making Kaoru frown at him.  
  
"Mou! Stop calling me that, Yahiko-CHAN!" Kaoru glared at him.  
  
"About that guy, ne Kaoru?" Yahiko ignored the 'chan' comment. "You still never told me what you think about him."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked at Yahiko while Kenshin, looked up, trying to catch her reaction.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about, busu." Yahiko smirked. "That Yukishiro guy..." his smirk widened as he watched Kaoru blush a little and Kenshin frowned at the sound of the name.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kaoru said, concentrating on what she is doing. "Just let it drop, Yahiko."  
  
"But he told you that he liked you." Yahiko said, throwing a knowing smile at Kenshin's direction making the redhead looked down and started munching some cookies on his mouth.  
  
"He must be kidding." Kaoru said with a frown.  
  
"But he told you that he wants to know you more, ne?"  
  
"He doesn't mean it." Kaoru gave Yahiko a hard look. "Just let it drop Yahiko."  
  
"C'mon, just tell me, what you think about him." Yahiko said aloud, "You like him?"  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blushed. "What are you talking about?!? Of course I don't! Besides… how can you like a person that you only met. I knew nothing about him, I don't even know if he is a good guy or a bad guy."  
  
"But you like the prince, ne? Even if you didn't even get glimpse of how he looked like." Yahiko said again, making Kenshin almost choked.  
  
"Orororo?!?!?"  
  
"Eh? Kenshin! Daijobou?" Kaoru ran to Kenshin's side, patting his back lightly. "Drink." She said, giving him a glass of water.  
  
"Oro! Daijobou, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said. "Gomen."  
  
"Mou!" Kaoru pouted at him. "You should eat slowly, you know."  
  
"Hai." Kenshin said, scratching the back of his head. "I was just… hehe… er…"  
  
"Ne Kaoru? You like the prince even if you still haven't met him, so this guy must really like you then." Yahiko insisted the topic.  
  
"Mou! Of course not." Kaoru pouted, this time to Yahiko. "I only like to get a glimpse of how he looked like."  
  
"Oro!" Kenshin choked again.  
  
"Mou! Honestly Kenshin!" Kaoru started patting Kenshin's back again.  
  
"Gomen, Kaoru-dono… hehe…" Kenshin again, scratched his head, making it a habit especially when he is in front of Kaoru.  
  
"But that Yukishiro-guy is not that bad, though. I mean, I heard rumors that he looked good too." Yahiko said again, not wanting to dropped the subject. "They say… as if Yukishiro is as good looking as the prince."  
  
This time, Kenshin spit out some tea, all over the table. "ORORORORO?!?!?!?!?"  
  
"Mou! Kenshin! Why are you acting so weird!" Kaoru frowned at Kenshin, grabbing a rag cloth and started wiping the mess. "Mou!" she pouted again.  
  
"G-Gomen-nasai Kaoru-dono. Let me help you there." Kenshin stammered, grabbing another rag cloth and helped Kaoru to wipe the table."  
  
"Just let it drop, Yahiko." Kaoru scowled at Yahiko. "I don't like a person just because they are good-looking or whatsoever. As I told you, liking a person is a different thing."  
  
"What do you like in a guy, if you mind me asking, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin asked, not ouching anything on the table this time, not wanting to cause anymore trouble.  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blushed a little. "What I like? Of course I want a guy who is kind-hearted, responsible and a guy who will never let others down. Just like my father." she sighed "They may say that he is stubborn, hard-headed or whatever… but whenever he puts his trust on you… he will stand up for you, no matter what the others will say…" she gave a small smile at Kenshin and Kenshin only blushed a little.  
  
'I knew it…' Yahiko smirked mentally, watching the goofy smile, forming on Kenshin's face. "So… you don't like him, ne Kaoru?" he said aloud, watching Kenshin smile wider when she said 'no.'.  
  
'I'm glad Kaoru-dono doesn't like him…' Kenshin smiled widely at the thought. 'That means… I still have my chance… Oro? Where did that came from?'  
  
"Ahh… Better finish this now…" Kaoru said, starting to boil some water.  
  
"Kaoru-dono… you say that you want to get a glimpse of how the prince may look like, ne?" Kenshin asked, watching as Kaoru puts some vegetables on the boiling water.  
  
"Yeah." Kaoru said. "I said that."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well… let's just say it's a silly girl dream, ne?" Kaoru smiled at Kenshin, "A silly dream of one day they will meet their prince charming."  
  
"Yuck!" Yahiko made a face. "Silly girl thing." he muttered under his breath.  
  
"Yeah. You may call it stupid." Kaoru giggled. "Because it is."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin looked up at Kaoru.  
  
"Yeah. But I'm still a girl after all. I have those… silly dreams too." she smiled again. "Anyway… it's just a dream, it will never happen, anyway…"  
  
"But what if you are now in front of the prince… what will you do?" Kenshin asked, trying to look as innocent as he could.  
  
"Eh? I don't know." Kaoru shrugged. "I don't actually wish to meet him… as in actually meet… to see him will be just enough for me…"  
  
"Just to see?"  
  
"Hai. Besides, even if I get to meet him… he will never give an eye for me, anyway…"  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"I mean… he have met several beautiful young maidens… why would he waste his time on a… 'no one' like me…" Kaoru said with an obviously sad smile.  
  
"But you're not a no one!" Yahiko frowned at her. "Those witches just called you a no one because they're jealous of you! They're mad at you… especially that Megumi because you look exactly like your mother!"  
  
Kaoru only shook her head at Yahiko. "They're right anyway, to call me a no one, because I am."  
  
"That's not true, Kaoru-dono! I mean… why would you think so… lowly of yourself?" Kenshin said. "I mean… you are a very wonderful girl Kaoru… you made many people happy, you helped others…"  
  
"Yeah." Yahiko agreed.   
  
"And besides…" Kenshin gave Kaoru a soft smile. "The prince will never see you as a no one. I know… if ever he will meet you… he will be very happy… very thankful that he met you…"  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked, blushing a little at the smile he was giving her.  
  
"I know… he will be very thankful for meeting a very wonderful and nice girl like you, Kaoru."  
  
'Hehe… that says it all.' Yahiko smiled again.  
  
"Arigato…" Kaoru smiled back at Kenshin. "You always made me feel alright… Domo Arigato…"  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin could only drown on those sweet smiles she is giving him. 'How could she smile like that? How could her smile always take his breath away…'  
  
"Ehem, ehem." Yahiko coughed, making Kenshin and Kaoru blushed and turn to look away from each other. "I think I better get going now, busu." he said. "I'm gonna take a look at the horses."  
  
"Okay." Kaoru nodded, checking on the food that she is cooking.  
  
"You like her, ne?" Yahiko whispered at Kenshin's ear, making him blush when Kaoru was not looking.  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"Wish you luck!" Yahiko whispered again before going away.  
  
"ORO?!?" Kenshin turned beet red.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: Okiedokie! Another chapter done! What do you think? Like it, not? Tell me! I would like to hear more form you guys, negative or positive, anything! Review, onegai?  
  
A/N2: To those who are asking for other couples... well, just read more! Hehe... I don't wanna leave some clues, who knows maybe some ideas would pop up on mu stupid mind! Hehe... Just watch out, ne?  
  
A/N3: Guys, I have to make an announcement. Since school, will be up this coming week, I am not promising you that I can update soon... it may take some time before I update again, maybe a week, two weeks or a month... please bear with me... 


	7. The usual sight at the Kamiya household

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer's Apply: They are not mine.  
  
Chapter 7: The usual sight in the Kamiya household  
  
"I have known Yahiko since... we were both children... though, I'm years older than him, three years to be exact." Kaoru said, seeing Kenshin, watching Yahiko left. "He is a former student of my father. He is actually some sort of my best friend. Though, he could be pretty annoying at times."  
  
"You two must have known each other well, ne?" Kenshin turned to Kaoru, who is now placing a bowl of steaming vegetables in a tray., with some set of three plates...  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "He knows when I feel bad or not... and he knows if I'm saying the truth or I'm saying a lie."  
  
Kenshin nodded at that information, watching as Kaoru carried the tray, giving him another smile before saying, "Can I leave you for a moment? I just need to prepare the table for them." she left when Kenshin nodded.  
  
***  
  
"KAORU! What took you so long?!? I'm starving!!!" Kamatari said, taking her place on the huge dining table on the dining hall of the mansion.  
  
"Gomen-nasai." Kaoru said, bowing her head at them as Megumi and Tomoe occupied their places on the table.  
  
"KAMATARI!" Megumi narrowed her eyes at her younger daughter. "Why can't you eat slower?"  
  
"Gosh! Mother! I'm starving." Kamatari said. "Besides, I'm at home, so I can eat whatever ways I like to eat."  
  
"How can the prince like a big fat piggy girl like you! You act... as if you haven't eaten for ten years!" Tomoe said proudly. "The prince would like a more respectable and well-refined young lady, who have manners."  
  
"And you're saying that 'respectable and well-refined young lady' is you?" Kamatari raised an eyebrow at her sister. "Gosh, sis... I don't wanna throw everything that I just ate."  
  
"And who do you think is the well-refined lady? You?!?" Tomoe glared at her sister who glared back.  
  
"And the prince wouldn't want a mother, hello?!?"  
  
"Mou! Are you saying that I looked like the prince' mother?!?"  
  
"Wrong!" Kamatari smiled sweetly at her sister. "The queen looks younger than you!"  
  
"MOU!!!!" Tomoe gave Kamatari another glare which her sister gladly replied with her own glare.  
  
"You two stop it." Megumi said, in a voice full of authority. "The prince would want any of you two, my daughters. Besides, you're both beautiful and well-mannered... the prince would really like a lady who is like that." she smiled, throwing a sarcastic glance at Kaoru. "The prince wouldn't like a rubbish thing like some other girl I know."  
  
This made Tomoe and Kamatari smile and throw Kaoru a stare, full of pride. Kaoru only looked down, avoiding their eyes.  
  
***  
  
Kenshin absentmindedly wandered around the room when Kaoru left. Staring at the huge wooden cabinets where Kaoru placed some cooking utensils, pans, saucers, plates, etc. He turned and stared at the door connecting to the dining hall, perhaps. He opened it, without thinking, staring at the wooden staircase, leading to another door. He slowly took some steps leading to that door and opened it, revealing a hallway and some doors on the other sides of it.  
  
"YEAH! THE PRINCE WOULD NEVER LIKE A RUBBISH THING LIKE HER!" he heard some laughter after that sentence. Frowning, he walked towards the source of the sound and opened the door silently, peeking inside.  
  
***  
  
"MY GLASS IS EMPTY…" Tomoe said, tapping her glass with her spoon. …more juice."  
  
"H-hai." Kaoru nodded and poured Tomoe's glass with another lemon juice.  
  
"Me too." Kamatari imitated her sister. "Faster, will ya?" she added, and in a minute, Kaoru was already by her side, pouring some juice on her glass.  
  
"Oh… I accidentally spilled it on the floor." Tomoe said, purposely spilling some juice on the floor. "Mou… it's all ruined now and it's all your fault."  
  
"You better clean it up now before it messes the floor." Kamatari quickly added.  
  
"Hai, hai." Kaoru grabbed a rag cloth and wiped the mess. "It's all done."  
  
"No, no, no." Tomoe shook her head. "There's another one over there." she pointed to an imaginary spot on the floor and again, purposely spilling some liquid on the floor. "Clean it up."  
  
"She's such a good pet, ne oneechan?" Kamatari said, watching Kaoru clean the mess with a wide smile on her face.  
  
"A very very good pet." Tomoe smirked.  
  
"Having some fun, ne?" Megumi smiled at her two daughters, as if congratulating them to a job well done. "Pretend that I'm not here." she added with a wink.  
  
"It's all done." Kaoru looked up when she finished cleaning up the mess. She stood up and started collecting Tomoe, Kamatari and Megumi's empty plates. "Do you need some more things done?"  
  
"Remember that handkerchief that I just bought?" Tomoe said. "Is it already done?"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "I'll take it in your room after washing the dishes."  
  
"And clean my room too." Kamatari added.  
  
"Clean the whole place." Megumi said. "And tell that little kid that we're going in town later."  
  
"Hai. I'll tell Yahiko." Kaoru nodded, wiping the table as the three left.  
  
***  
  
Kenshin quickly hid on a corner of when Megumi and her daughters left the dining hall. He quickly stepped out of his hiding place when Megumi and her daughters were already out of sight. He silently peek through the dining hall again, watching as Kaoru clean up the table. Absent-mindedly, he slowly entered the room, almost tip-toeing not to startle her.  
  
"Kenshin?" Kaoru blinked at him as she turned and saw him, watching her from behind. "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to…? Oh… If Aunt Megumi sees you…"  
  
"They did not." Kenshin said. "Why are they doing this to you?"  
  
"How long have you been there?" Kaoru said, avoiding his eyes and started pulling a small cart the held some empty plates, glasses…  
  
"Long enough to see everything." Kenshin said, following Kaoru as she started walking back at the kitchen. "Why are you letting them to do this to you?"  
  
"They're letting me stay here." Kaoru said as she opened the door connecting the kitchen. "I'm just paying them for the food and shelter they're giving me."  
  
"But… is she your father's second wife?" Kenshin frowned at her as she started placing the dirty plates on the sink. "I mean… it's her responsibility to take you in."  
  
"And it's my obligation to help them." Kaoru said without looking at him.  
  
"Obligation? Help?" Kenshin frowned more, coming to stand beside Kaoru, watching her from the corner of his eyes. "You have no obligation to them. THEY have the obligation to you. They're abusing you! Treating you like some sort of a toy."  
  
"A toy?" Kaoru sighed before letting out a faked chuckle. "Maybe they does treat me as… something like that."  
  
Kenshin just stared at her, waiting for her to continue.  
  
"That's what others says. Even Yahiko told me that." Kaoru shrugged, picking up a wooden bucket and went outside to fill it up with water before going back. "Others even said that I should just leave them alone here. Some even offered me a home."  
  
"Then… why don't you leave?" Kenshin arched an eyebrow, watching Kaoru as she started washing the dishes.  
  
"You can call me an idiot and stubborn but… I don't want to." Kaoru gave a smile at Kenshin before continuing her tracks. "I can't…"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I grew up in this place. This is where I was born." Kaoru said with a sigh. "My father thought me Kendo here. My mother taught me how to cook in this place… my mother died in this place… this place is my home…"  
  
Kenshin grew quiet as he let her continue.  
  
"… this place held so many memories, both good and bad, from my childhood, the first time I wore a dress, everything… I can't just leave this place… I have loved this place and no matter what it takes… I will never leave this place I called home…"  
  
"I'm sorry." Kenshin looked down uneasily. "I didn't know."  
  
"And besides… they need me." Kaoru said, placing the washed dishes on the table, wiping her soaked hands on her apron before looking up at Kenshin. "I can't imagine what will happen to them if I leave."  
  
"But they never cared about you, though. From the way I see it, they only want you here so they can have someone to… boost their little treasures to." Kenshin said, wanting to cut the necks of those three women for giving this girl a hard time.  
  
"My mother always told me… helping others doesn't only means… expecting a good… let's say… a good gift… sometimes the reverse happened. But always remember that it is always He who would grant you for your good deeds." she said with a smile. "It may be some childish thins my mother taught me but… even if how childish it sounds… you can't hide the truth behind those words."  
  
Kenshin could only stare at this young, beautiful and… exceptional lady. 'Kami-sama… how can she take this whole thing as if… it's nothing?' he thought, not tearing his eyes off her.  
  
'I've always met several women… young and beautiful young maidens… but… I've never met a girl like her.' he thought, watching her dry the plates with a clean cloth. 'I've never met a girl as strong as this girl… she is… she is… I don't know… I don't know the right word to describe her…'  
  
'Am I falling for this unbelievable girl in front of me?' he mused, his eyes softening on her. 'Is she the right girl I've always been waiting for? Is she that right girl for me?'  
  
As if hearing his musings, Kaoru looked up to catch his eyes. Giving him one of her bright smiles he have grown attached to, before going back to her tracks.  
  
'Kami-sama… I'm falling for her… I think I'm falling for her…'  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: Thank you for those who reviewed in the last chapter! Hearing your positive feedback makes me more… energetic in writing another chapter. That's why I'm really trying to find a way to fix my schedule and to write some more chapters! Domo arigato minna-san! Till next chapters. Hope to hear more form you guys. See you! 


	8. Kaoru's most favorite place

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story  
  
by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They are not mine...  
  
Chapter 8: Kaoru's most favorite place…  
  
"Oi, don't tell me that you're sneaking off the castle again?" Sano raised an eyebrow as he saw his best friend, dressed on his magenta gi and white hakama, ready to go out. He made a stern face before saying. "I'm starting to notice that you're always out this last couple of days."  
  
"Anou... I am?" Kenshin gave Sano one of his most innocent looks.  
  
"Darn it!" Sano shook his head. "You just went out yesterday and the day before that and the other day before that and..."  
  
"Fine, fine, I know!" Kenshin sighed. "I just... well... need a break..."  
  
"Need a break?!? I already heard of that excuse some couple of times now!" Sano exclaimed. "I'm starting to notice that you're starting to get used to going out and strolling around the town and so! Say... the real reason you go out there is to meet a certain young missy with a long hair, ne Prince Kenshin?"  
  
Kenshin's dace turned as red as his hair. Sano only sighed and shook his head. "You're really crazy." he sighed again. "I'm really starting to wonder how did she do it... caught your eyes when no one ever did."  
  
"She's different than any other girl that I've met before." Kenshin said with a smile. "She's a very wonderful girl, Sano."  
  
"The more I wanna meet her personally."  
  
"Oro?!? But you've already met her remember? That night you saw me..."  
  
"I saw her... yes... but I never got along with her." Sano smirked. "C'mon, I'll go with you this once. Besides, we'll have a good excuse. Remember, you're supposed to go to Yokohama to talk to an important person, there, ne?"  
  
"Yeah." Kenshin nodded. "I just remembered father let me go to Yokohama to talk to Consul Kiyosato Akira."  
  
"I'm supposed to go with you, so we could..."  
  
"...go straight to Yokohama after..." Kenshin's face brightened at the idea. "How could you think of such a good idea?"  
  
"I'm the smart one, ne?" Sano smiled proudly.  
  
***  
  
"Giving you loads again?" Yahiko sighed as he saw his friend Kaoru hanging the clothes she have just finished washing on the clothesline.  
  
"Good morning to you too, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru gave him a quick smile before going back to her tracks. "You're early."  
  
"So are you." Yahiko said. "How can you finish doing all of this in a day?"  
  
"I always do that." Kaoru said. "I always do the same thing everyday, so I'm used to it."  
  
"Yeah right." Yahiko sighed. "Anyway, I just dropped by to say hi, still got my own work to do, anyways." he waved his hand before leaving. Kaoru only smiled at his retreating figure and looked down at her own soaked hands.  
  
"Better finish this really quick!" she sighed.  
  
"Kaoru!!! There you are!" Kamatari came running from the house. "I've been looking for you all over the house."  
  
"Eh? Is there something I can do for you?" Kaoru blinked at Kamatari.  
  
"I want some chocolates." Kamatari said shrilly. "I need chocolates and I'm out of those."  
  
"Okay, I'll buy you some after..."  
  
"No... I mean I need it now!" Kamatari shook Kaoru. "I can't live a minute without my chocolates! C'mon you buy me some chocolates now! I mean now!"  
  
"Hai, hai." Kaoru hung the last piece of yukata on the clothesline before nodding to Kamatari who hurriedly gave her some money.  
  
"Be quick and don't let mother know that I let you buy me chocolates!" Kamatari warned. "Mother will kill me if she finds out that I'm still eating my sweets and chocolate on secret and I'm not sticking on my diet."  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded before leaving.  
  
***  
  
"Kenshin aren't you getting tired of strolling around this place?" Sano yawned as he followed his friend walk around.  
  
"Tired? C'mon Sano. Aren't you enjoying?" Kenshin frowned at Sano who frowned at him too.  
  
"All we did was walk." Sano complained. "I'm starving too." he added as his stomach growled. Kenshin only shook his head.  
  
"Fine. I know a place where you could satisfy your stomach." Kenshin said as they headed to Kionji's Bakeshop for all Occasions. They slowly entered the small bakeshop and was greeted by the kind owner of the shop.  
  
"Ohayo… oh! It's you again!" Kionji smiled widely as he saw the redhead enter the shop. "It's good to see you Kenshin-san."  
  
"Ohayo." Kenshin bowed his head on the kind man. "It's quite a while…"  
  
"Good morning young sir." Kionji smiled at the other man beside Kenshin who just grinned.  
  
"Sagara Sanosuke." Sano said. "Sir Kenshin's good friend."  
  
Kenshin quickly elbowed him when Kionji was not looking telling him to stop acting so formal and somebody might found out about who he truly is.  
  
"I'm going to give you the best bread in this shop. Just wait a minute." Kionji said before leaving the two for a while. Kenshin and Sano silently took the seat near the counter and started talking about stuffs when the door came open again.  
  
"Kaoru-chan!" Kionji said happily as he came out again and saw Kaoru entered the shop. "Nice seeing you again."  
  
"Same here, Kionji-san." Kaoru smiled at the man. She gave Kionji her orders before slowly turned her head to see a familiar pair of violet eyes staring at her. "Kenshin!" she smiled widely at him, which he quickly returned.  
  
"Ohayo Kaoru-dono." Kenshin greeted, ever so politely. "It's good to see you."  
  
"He's been looking for you actually young missy."  
  
Kaoru slowly averted her eyes to the man seated next to Kenshin. She gave him a quizzical look.  
  
"He's Sagara Sanosuke. A friend of mine." Kenshin said quickly as he noticed Kaoru's eyes turned to Sano. "Sano, this girl is Kamiya Kaoru."  
  
"Nice meeting you jou-chan." Sano extended a hand at her. Kaoru accepted his hand and gave it a shake.  
  
"Hai, same here." Kaoru smiled. "It's good to know some friend of yours Kenshin." she turned her eyes back to Kenshin and gave him another smile. Kenshin returned it before offering a seat to Kaoru.  
  
"Arigato."  
  
"Kenshin has always been telling a lot of things about you." Sano said as Kaoru took the seat across them.  
  
"Really? What kind of things?" Kaoru asked curiously. "Did he tell you how clumsy I can be at times?"  
  
"No." Sano smirked throwing a knowing glance at Kenshin's direction. Kenshin only felt a little nervous all of a sudden. "He told me that you are a very wonderful girl."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blushed a little at that while Kenshin 'oroed'.  
  
"He also told me that you're really kind, compassionate, giving, …" Sano started enumerating everything that Kenshin told him almost everyday about the girl in front of him.  
  
"Enough." Kenshin, whose face is as red as his hair, said, covering Sano's mouth with his hand to stop him from saying something more. "I think that's enough."  
  
"That's not all!" Sano continued as he pushed Kenshin's hand away. "He even told me that you are unlike any other girl he met."  
  
"Sano!" Kenshin glared at Sano who quickly backed away. "I'll get you-?!?"  
  
"Do you really think of me that way?" Kaoru asked looking down, finding her hands on her lap very interesting.  
  
"H-hai." Kenshin turned his face to her and nodded. "I do."  
  
"That I am a wonderful girl?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because… because… you made me feel special." Kenshin said softly.  
  
"That will make you a wonderful guy too." Kaoru looked up to meet Kenshin's eyes with her own. "Because you made me feel special too." she gave him one of her most dazzling smiles that took Kenshin's breath away. "Domo Arigato."  
  
Sano smirked as he watched the two. 'I can see why he fell for her. Lucky Kenshin… hehe… I think they're really made for each other… you're one lucky man for meeting someone like her.'  
  
Unknown to all, Sano is not the only one feeling good as he watched Kenshin and Kaoru. Kionji was also smiling widely to himself as he saw something between the 'couple'. He quickly faked a cough making Kenshin and Kaoru snapped back to reality to give them their orders.  
  
"Arigato Kionji-san." Kaoru smiled brightly at Kionji with a light blush on her face as the kind man handed her a small brown bag.  
  
"You're going now?" Kenshin asked as Kaoru stood up from her seat.  
  
"Hai." Kaoru said. "Kamatari-san will be mad at me if I stay here longer. Anyway, see you soon." she smiled again before going out of the shop. Kenshin quickly stood up and followed her out.  
  
"Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin called, making her look back at him.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Would you mind if this unworthy one walk you home?" Kenshin said, his fingers crossed behind him. He let out a sigh of relief as Kaoru smiled at him and shook her head. "Arigato."  
  
"I should be the one thanking you." Kaoru said as she heard Kenshin saying thanks. "I know!"  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin looked at Kaoru as she stopped walking.  
  
"It's still early anyway." Kaoru said. "Kamatari-san wouldn't mind if I'm late a little." she quickly grasped Kenshin's wrist and pulled him with her. "I'll show you something."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin blinked as Kaoru giggled and started to pull him with her. He willingly let her drag him with her to she-only-knows-where. After a few minutes of running, Kaoru let go of his wrist and turned to look at him with a happy smile on her face.  
  
"This is my most favorite place here." Kaoru said happily as Kenshin let his eyes roam all over the place. This place was really amazing. It was a place by the riverside where a huge sakura tree was planted. He smiled as he watched Kaoru looked at the river with shining eyes. "It's most beautiful here every summer night… fireflies lit up this whole place every summer night. It's very beautiful to watch."  
  
"Really?" Kenshin stood beside her.  
  
"I love watching the fireflies. They're amazing." Kaoru said. "When my parents were still alive, my father always bring me and my mother on this place every summer night to watch the fireflies. I can still remember the story my father always told me about the fireflies."  
  
"Story?"  
  
"Hai. Father told me that if you wish to a firefly and you have strong faith, your wish will be come true." Kaoru turned to look at Kenshin. "You know, I always do that, ever since I was a child… every summer night I go here to wish for one same thing."  
  
"Wish? Can I know your wish?"  
  
"Every silly little girl's wish." Kaoru smiled. "To see the prince. I always wish to see the prince ever since I was a little girl."  
  
Kenshin only blinked at Kaoru as he watched her stare back at the river. 'If she only knew… that the real prince is already right in front of her…'  
  
"Silly, ne?" Kaoru let out an embarrassed giggle.  
  
'Should I tell her who I really am? Will she believe me if I told her?'  
  
"Anou… Kaoru-dono…" Kenshin stared at Kaoru who turned to face him. "There is something I wanted to confess to you…"  
  
'Confess? Nani? What will he confess?' Kaoru blinked at him and blushed when she saw how he stared at her. 'Will he… no… I mean… will he tell me…'  
  
"It's about…" Kenshin stammered. "Anou… Kaoru-dono…"  
  
'Why do I feel so nervous? Kaoru-no-baka stop thinking about foolish.' she mentally kicked herself for thinking about non-sense.  
  
"There is something I've been wanting to tell you, but I just don't know if you… I mean I just don't know if… please don't get mad at me, ne?" Kenshin said nervously. 'This is it… I'm going to tell her that I'm really the prince, she have to know anyway…'  
  
"I… I am really…"  
  
"Do you think we should go now?" Kaoru said. "I mean, Kamatari-san will be mad now, I mean… she can be scary when she is mad, so c'mon… let's go." she quickly said before quickly walking away. Kenshin only sighed and followed her. The whole trip to Kaoru's house was filled with silence between the two. Neither of them, is afraid to break the ice. Without knowing it, they've reached the Kamiya mansion.  
  
"Arigato for walking me home again, Kenshin." Kaoru gave him a smile.  
  
"It's my pleasure." Kenshin returned the smile. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you again… if it's alright with you."  
  
"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "I would love that."  
  
"So… I'll see you next time."  
  
"Hai, ja… take care." Kaoru gave one last smile before Kenshin turned and left. Kaoru only watched him go away before going inside the house.  
  
TBC…  
  
A/N: Gomen Gomen Gomen Gomen (1 000 000 000 000 x) for not updating for so long! Mou! School and stuffs are really giving me a hard time and so… Gomen-nasai minna-san… Really really sorry. But anyway, here's the next chappie. I really wished that you guys will love this. Send me your feedbacks, ne? Please don't stop sending me your reviews okay? Please… sorry again for the long wait… 


	9. Weird

Rurouni Kenshin Cinderella Story by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer: They're not mine.  
  
Chapter 9: Weird  
  
'What is he going to tell me? I should've just let him finish what he is going to tell me...' Kaoru sighed as she watched Kenshin go. 'Mou! Stop being an idiot, Kaoru-baka!!!! It's not like he is going... I mean, we're only friends, ne?' she sighed again.  
  
"MOU!!! YOU STUPID, SILLY GIRL!!!!!" Kamatari yelled angrily as she saw her stepsister standing at the gate, staring at nowhere. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!?!?!?"  
  
"Huh?" Kaoru blinked and turned her head to see her angry stepsister. "G- Gomen nasai... I was just..."  
  
"Gimme my chocolates!!!" Kamatari said, snatching the small bag from Kaoru's hand. "Mou! Good thing mother and Tomoe is very busy trying those new kimonos on. If mother finds out about me not sticking to my diet... she'll kill me!!" she added before leaving Kaoru alone.  
  
'Silly me...' Kaoru silently thought as she went back to the house.  
  
*** "Oi..." Sano smirked as he saw Kenshin walking. "What happened with your little date with jou-chan?"  
  
"Oro? Date?" Kenshin blushed and scarthed his head. "I just walked her home."  
  
"Oh yeah... you just walked her home... it's not a date..." Sano said. "Anyway, what happened?" he asked and frowned when he saw Kenshin sighed.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Eh? Why do you look like the whole world is against you?" Sano raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you got dumped?!? The great Prince Kenshin?!? Dumped?!?"  
  
"Of course not!!!" Kenshin shook his head like a lunatic. "She didn't dumped me!!! No!!!"  
  
"Easy, buddy... I just thought... anyway..."  
  
"I was so close to telling her... I was really so close..." Kenshin sighed again and Sano only gasped.  
  
"You told her how you feel about her?!? Wow!! What happened?"  
  
"ORO?!?!? I never said that!!!!!" Kenshin shook his head. "I can't tell her how I feel!"  
  
"Then what do you mean by 'you're so close to telling her'???" Sano raised a brow.  
  
"Who I really am."  
  
"She still doesn't know that you're the prince?"  
  
"Not yet... actually, I was going to tell her this morning but..."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She cut me off... I don't know, when I was so close to telling her, she just got so... weird... I mean, she just told me that she needs to go home all of the sudden." Kenshin sighed again. "My chance has been gone."  
  
"Come on, buddy... there's plenty of time. You can tell her some other time..." Sano grinned.  
  
'Yeah... I just hope that she'll believe me.' Kenshin silently added to himself.  
  
*** 'Was he really going to confess his feelings... I mean, was that the thing that he needs to tell me???... Mou!!! Where did that come from??? Baka- Kaoru-baka!!!'  
  
Kaoru blushed at the thought and continued to chop some vegetables. 'Stop thinking foolish, Kaoru. Kenshin is your friend, ne? And he also sees you only as a friend... you should stop thinking about this foolish things. He might be trying to tell me some other thing...' she sighed.  
  
"I should have just let him finish what he is trying to tell me... I was such a silly girl to act like that..." she said aloud as she placed the chopped vegetable on a bowl.  
  
"Talking to yourself is not a good sign."  
  
"I'm not crazy." Kaoru said as she turned her head to see Yahiko sitting on a rice barrel, his favorite spot.  
  
"Well, it's not a good sign, anyway." Yahiko shrugged. "You'll think that I'm crazy if you caught me talking to myself too, ne?"  
  
Kaoru only sighed and started to boil the food. "Did you come here just to annoy me?"  
  
"Not really." Yahiko said coolly. "You want me to?" he added with a smirk.  
  
"No thanks." Kaoru rolled her eyes.  
  
"I heard Kamatari was yelling at you earlier... what is it again?"  
  
"It's nothing... it's just her chocolate."  
  
"That piggy witch." Yahiko rolled his eyes. "I wonder how she can do it... didn't you just bought her a box of sweets the other day? Don't tell me she have eaten it all?"  
  
"I'm wondering about that thing myself." Kaoru smiled and Yahiko only laughed.  
  
"You're too bad, busu!"  
  
"Not half as bad as you, Yahiko-chan." Kaoru giggled a little.  
  
"Anyway, how's the things going on with your boyfriend?"  
  
"Nani?!?!? Boyfriend??? I never had a boyfriend!!" Kaoru gave Yahiko a small frown.  
  
"What do you call Kenshin?"  
  
Kaoru blushed and tried began stirring the food she's cooking to hide it. "N-N-Nani suke??? K-Ken-kenshin is j-just my friend..." she let out a faked giggle.  
  
"Ohoho... just your friend, ne?" Yahiko smirked wider. "Really?"  
  
"Mou! He's just my friend!!" Kaoru pouted. "How many times do I have to tell you that!"  
  
"But you do like him, ne?"  
  
"Nani???" Kaoru blushed again. "He's my friend, so... of course I do like him... but only just a friend, okay?"  
  
"I knew it!" Yahiko started to say with a glint of his eye.  
  
"He's my friend so I do like him... You surely have a diry mind, Yahiko!"  
  
"You sound so defensive!" Yahiko narrowed his eyes a little. "Look who has a dirty mind between the two of us."  
  
"Mou!"  
  
"Yeah... 'mou'... that's what you always say." Yahiko jumped from his seat. "Anyway, I just drop by to say hi... see you later." he waved a hand and Kaoru gave him a smile.  
  
"Yeah, later... I'll get you later..."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Yahiko smirked before leaving Kaoru.  
  
*** "We still need to go to Yokohama, remember?" Sano asked as he and Kenshin both climbed to their carriage.  
  
"Yeah. I know." Kenshin sighed. "Wish I don't need to go there."  
  
"Planning on sneaking off again? You can't do that, you know?" Sano said. "Especially now that Enishi is back in the palace."  
  
"I know." Kenshin sighed. "And I know that I need to be careful around him... I mean... I just feel... I don't know, I don't trust him That's all."  
  
"It is just the queen and the king who trusted that bastard!" Sano frowned. "That's why he is so confident, ne?"  
  
"I guess so..." Kenshin just shrugged. "Anyway... we need to get going."  
  
"Yeah... yeah..." Sano nodded. "Come on then."  
  
***  
  
"Kaoru! Hey you girl!" Megumi came to the kitchen looking at Kaoru. Kaoru only looked at her in puzzlement.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Kaoru asked. "DO you need something from me?"  
  
"You! Come!" Megumi said and dragged Kaoru with her to Tomoe's room. Kaoru only frowned quizzically and stared from Megumi to Tomoe who is at the moment searching for something in her closet.  
  
"What happened?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"There!" Tomoe smiled and pulled out a simple pink dress from her closet. "This is the oldest dress I could find, mother."  
  
"This will do." Megumi said before turning to Kaoru. "Try that on."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked in disbelief. "Nani?"  
  
"You heard me... try it on!" Megumi said and Kaoru quickly grabbed the dress and walked changed to Tomoe's dressing room.  
  
'Why are they acting so weird?' Kaoru thought as she was now alone in the dressing room. 'Wow... this dress is so pretty. I haven't wore anything like this in a long time.' she smiled, touching the smooth fabric of the dress. She quickly put it on.  
  
'I've never worn anything like this in such a long time... this is soooo... great.' she smiled as she stared at her own reflection on the huge mirror pinned on the wall. Her dress was made of a blue sill material and was cut up to her knees.  
  
When she got out of the dressing room, Megumi stared at her from head to toe. "Not bad." she said.  
  
"Yeah... not bad." Kamatari said, some ribbons on her hand. "See... I told you Tomoe... even Kaoru is more beautiful than you if she would dress up."  
  
"Shut up, stupid sister." Tomoe glared at her sister.  
  
"Fix her hair, Kamatari." Megumi said and Kamatari just nodded and pulled Kaoru with her.  
  
"Uhmm... why are you doing this?" Kaoru asked hesitantly. "I mean... is there something wrong? Is there something that is going to happen?"  
  
"Enishi-kun is going to visit here this evening." Megumi said with a wide smile. "I want you to look presentable to him."  
  
"Eh?" Kaoru blinked again as Kamatari let her sit in a seat and began combing her long raven-black hair. "Why should I..."  
  
"Mou! Just wanna make you look presentable to him..." Megumi said before turning to Tomoe. "Come on Tomoe, we still need to prepare the whole house." she added and left with Tomoe.  
  
"Uhmm... Kamatari-san... why do I need to look presentable to your guest? I mean... I'm not supposed to show up to any of your guests anyway." Kaoru asked uncertainty as Kamatari tried to fix her hair.  
  
"Mou! Don't you still get it!" Kamatari said with a frown. "You know that he like you."  
  
"That doesn't mean that he actually meant that... I mean..."  
  
"Stop talking foolish! Just try be sweet to him!" Kamatari said. "He's the only way we could be closer to the prince and you should not do anything bad to him! I swear! I'll kill you'll do something wrong!"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru just looked down and let Kamatari do whatever she want with her hair.  
  
***  
  
"Is everything clear?" a tall man hidden in the shadows of the huge trees in the midst of the woods said in a serious voice. "I don't want him getting suspicious."  
  
"Of course... we could do that." another man answered, also hidden in the dark. "He will never get suspicious."  
  
"I'm not kidding Jin'eh!" the tall an said again. "He is pretty tough... I tell you! He didn't get the name Battousai for nothing so you be careful in your moves. I don't want him to be suspicious to me and to all of this whole plan."  
  
"Hai, hai... but don't forget the deal you had with us."  
  
"Yeah, yeah right! I'll pay you if you're job is done correctly... just give me a word if there's any problem or whatever... I need to get going, I am to visit some friend of mine."  
  
"Leave everything to us, don't worry."  
  
"'Til then." the tall man said before completely disappearing in the dark.  
  
*** "Where is she?" Megumi asked as she saw her daughter, Kamatari enter the waiting room all alone. "I have to see if she looks presentable enough."  
  
"You silly girl, come in here!" Kamatari turned her head to the door and frowned. "C'mon Kaoru! Just get out of here!"  
  
"H-hai..." Kaoru silently went in the room looking down, wearing Tomoe's old pink dress, her hair just wild down her back.  
  
"Why didn't you fix her hair?!?" Tomoe frowned.  
  
"Her hair is too long! It's too hard to fix!" Kamatari pouted. "Besides, she looked just nice with her hair down..."  
  
"Okay... forget everything about that." Megumi said before walking towards Kaoru and making her sit on the soft sofa. "You just sit here and wait for Enishi-kun. "He'll be coming in a few minutes... I don't want any problem, you know what I mean... you have to be nice to him. Is that clear?"  
  
"H-hai..." Kaoru just nodded, looking down with a sigh.  
  
"And don't forget this, okay?" Megumi added sternly. "You are to ask him about the prince... what the prince likes and what kind of woman will he want to be a wife. Ask about his interests too."  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Okay... you just wait here..." Megumi said before leaving with her daughters, Kaoru all alone in the room.  
  
'Why are they so weird?' she thought. 'Not that... he actually liked me or something, he never even know me! How can he like a person he barely knows... not that I don't like him at all... demo...' she sighed again.  
  
'He's seemed to be nice and he's not that bad... but I just don't feel comfortable with him, unlike when I'm with...' she felt a blush creeping out of her face. She quickly shook the thought away. 'No... Kenshin is just my friend... we're just friends.' she quickly said to herself.  
  
She sighed again and went back to her seat. 'Why do I feel like this? I just met him... a couple of weeks ago and then... I just felt...' a small smile appeared on her face. 'I never felt so happy and comfortable with someone I barely know... with a complete stranger like him. It's wonderful how he can make me feel relieved even when I feel down sometimes, how he made me feel happy when I feel like the whole world is against me... Yahiko does made me feel comfortable too, but with Kenshin,... oh...'  
  
"What is this? This is really strange..." she said in a whisper. "I can't understand how I feel anymore... I feel weird..."  
  
***  
  
"Here we are in Yokohama..." Sano said to Kenshin after some hours of traveling. He sighed when he saw his friend just nodded without any energy. "Hey...chill up... it's not that you're gonna stay here for ten years."  
  
"Yeah... right..." Kenshin sighed. "Come on in..." he nodded, gesturing that he and Sano should climb down their carriage.  
  
"It's a pleasure to have you here, your Prince Kenshin of Tokyo... his highness is already waiting for you in the dining hall." a young lady dressed in a maid's clothes said. Kenshin just nodded to her and made her lead the way to the dining hall.  
  
"Oh... Himura-san..." a tall man with brown hair said, smiling at him.  
  
"Kiyosato-san." Kenshin made a bow.  
  
"Come on... take a seat." Kiyosato Akira, count of Yokohama said. "How's your trip here?"  
  
"Quite well." Kenshin just nodded and took a seat, Sano took the seat beside him.  
  
"I'm really glad that you're father sent you here in our humble place." Akira said again. "It's really a pleasure."  
  
"Hai." Kenshin said, just that same moment, a beautiful young lady with long brown hair and crystal green eyes entered the dining hall.  
  
"Oh... Prince Kenshin..." Akira said with a smile. "This young lady here is my cousin, Amakusa Sayo..." he said, before turning his head to the young lady, Sayo. "Sayo, this is Prince Himura Kenshin from Tokyo and Sagara Sanosuke, his personal assistant.  
  
"It's a pleasure meeting such a beautiful lady." Kenshin said in a polite manner, Sayo gave him a smile before taking a seat.  
  
"You must be pretty tired from your travel... come on let's have dinner for a moment before we talk about the current situation of our place."  
  
***  
  
"Ah... Enishi-kun..." Megumi gave the young man a smile. "It's a pleasure having you here again."  
  
"Yeah." Tomoe smiled too. "It's been quite a while."  
  
"Yeah... Good thing the king was kind enough to give me this break." Enishi said. "I mean... I have a hand full in the palace. There are so many documents and paper works to do."  
  
"That's pretty exhausting." Kamatari said, "Come inside... in the waiting room."  
  
"Hai." Enishi nodded and let the three women to led him to the waiting room. Once there, he smiled when he saw a very wonderful sight in front of him.  
  
"Kaoru-san... It's been quite a while." Enishi said and walked towards the young lady.  
  
"It's nice to have you again here, Yukishiro-san." Kaoru stood up from her seat and gave Enishi a small smile.  
  
"Do you want a cup of tea?" Megumi asked and Enishi only nodded. "We'll just go and get you some tea. You keep yourself at hom here, Enishi-kun." and with that, Megumi and her daughters left Enishi all alone with Kaoru.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: A short cappie for today, ne? Sorry for taking too long in updating this fic and my other fics... I just finished doing my research paper and I just thought maybe I should do another chapter of this story... anyway, just wait for another chapter to come, okay? Just be patient, ne minna-san? Again, see you 'til next chapter. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your feedbacks... ja! 


	10. A very long night

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story by: nyllemnev  
  
Standard Disclaimer's Apply: blah, blah, blah...  
  
Chapter 10: A very long night  
  
"You're beautiful as always, Kaoru-san..." Enishi said with a smile. Kaoru felt herself blushing and looked down.  
  
"You don't have to flatter me that much." she said in a soft voice.  
  
"But it's true." he said, lifting her chin to make her look up at him. "Kaoru-megami-sama..."  
  
Kaoru only bit her lip and looked away, feeling a little nervous and uncomfortable all of a sudden, muttering a soft 'arigato'. Enishi leaned back on his seat, though Kaoru could feel that he is still watching her out of the corners of his eyes.  
  
"Anou..." she said, trying to find a way to start up a decent conversation. "Uhm... so, how's things doing in the palace?"  
  
"Well, as usual, I do have a hand full but it's just fine. The prince is out of town, meeting with Consul Kiyosato and Princess Sayo of Yokohama." Enishi started. "Apparently, the king must've planned everything, making the prince go there... I bet he's planning to get his majesty closer to the fair princess."  
  
"Is that so?" Kaoru nodded her head. "So... the king sent Prince Kenshin to Yokohama for him to get to know the princess?"  
  
"Yes." Enishi nodded. "The king is pretty keen on making his son fall in love with a girl... you see, he just wants to see his son get marry to the right girl."  
  
"Oh... I guess every parent would want their children to meet the right one." Kaoru made a small smile.  
  
"Yeah... and I think I've found mine." Enishi said, staring at Kaoru with mixed expression on his face.  
  
"Oh..." Kaoru looked away. "I see... that's great."  
  
"Aren't you going to ask me who is she?" Enishi moved closer to Kaoru, lifting a hand to her chin again to make her face him. "It is you..." he smiled when he saw her blushed slightly. He took the advantage to lean forward trying to kiss her but...  
  
"Anou..." Kaoru said, inching away from Enishi, a nervous smile playing on her pretty face. "I think we're getting a little forward... you still don't know me. You can't tell if I'm the right one or not."  
  
"But I'm willing to get to know you more." Enishi leaned back on his seat. "That is... if you would let me..."  
  
"I don't want to talk about the matter as for now." Kaoru said in a soft voice. "I mean... we could still be friends if you like... it's just that..."  
  
"I'm willing to wait for you..."  
  
Kaoru only looked up to stare at him, watching him for a moment. 'He's not that bad at all, anyway... why can't I give him a chance? He seems pretty sincere and so... but... it's just that he's not really like...'  
  
"Do I have a chance?" he asked, gazing at her with an unreadable expression on his eyes, though Kaoru could see something dark in it.  
  
"I don't know..." Kaoru avoided his gaze, '...still I just don't feel that right when I'm with him...'  
  
"Why can't you give me a chance? Is there another guy or something?" Enishi asked, trying to control a pang of anger building up inside of him. He frowned when he saw her blush hard.  
  
"No... I mean, no..." Kaoru shook her head, though the blush on her face will make anyone believe that she's lying. "It's just that... I'm not sure if I can return everything you have for me, the way you expected me to... I don't want to hurt anybody in the end. We could always be friends."  
  
"But being friends is not enough with me." Enishi said making Kaoru looked at him, wide-eyed. "I want us to be more than friends." he took Kaoru's hand in his and gave it a squeeze.  
  
"But..."  
  
"I'm still going to wait for your answer." Enishi said before letting go of her hand and standing up.  
  
"Yukishiro-san..." Kaoru looked up at him with questioning eyes.  
  
"'Till then." he added before leaving the room. Kaoru only stared at his retreating back with her eyes wide open.  
  
***  
  
"I'm glad the meeting was finally over." Kenshin sighed as he sank on his huge bed. Sano only sat on a chair in front of the fire place.  
  
"Yeah..." Sano said with a nod.  
  
"Good thing that this meeting is finally over. We could go back in Tokyo, first thing in the morning." Kenshin said with a huge smile on his face. "I'm glad."  
  
"That's what you really want in the first place, ne?" Sano smirked, turning his head to his friend. "Missed your little jou-chan?"  
  
Kenshin just blushed while Sano laughed out loud. Kenshin shot him a glare which made him stop laughing.  
  
"I was just kidding... but it's the truth... you missed her, ne?"  
  
"Fine! What if I do?" Kenshin rolled his eyes.  
  
"You're really dead in love with her, ne?"  
  
"I don't know... maybe." Kenshin said in a low voice. "Maybe, this is love."  
  
"Hehe... so, when are you going to tell her everything?" Sano said in a serious voice. "You have to tell her, anyway. It's better if she'll hear it from you than from somebody else."  
  
"I don't know. I'm afraid. What if she doesn't believe me?" Kenshin sighed. "I don't want to lose her. Even if she just sees me as a friend, I can take that... but what if telling her truth will ruin everything? I can't take that."  
  
"You sure do have a slight headache." Sano sighed too. "Things always turned out too complicated for you.  
  
"I wish I just told her everything in the first place." Kenshin said more to himself. "At least... if she laughs at me and wouldn't believe me... I won't have to feel this way..."  
  
"Don't worry... if you're really for meant for each other. You'll gonna pass this one." Sano said with a grin. "Don't worry... and I know you two are really meant for each other the time I saw you two dancing by the moonlight."  
  
Kenshin gave Sano a grin. He sure does have a pretty good best friend. A soft knock on his door made them turn to the door. Sano got up and opened the door.  
  
"Hey..." Sano smirked at the beautiful young lady in front of him.  
  
"Is Prince Kenshin there?" Princess Sayo asked in a soft voice. Sano opened the door wider for her to enter.  
  
"Prince Kenshin..." the fair princess smiled sweetly at the red-haired prince.  
  
"It's late... why would a princess like you walk around the palace at this time of the night." Kenshin asked in his polite manner.  
  
"I was just... I just wanna make sure if you are comfortable here." Sayo said, giving another smile to Kenshin. "I guessed that you are."  
  
"Hai. Thanks for worrying." Kenshin bowed his head, returning her smile.  
  
"Then, I think I better get back to my own room." Sayo said before leaving the room.  
  
"Pretty..." Sano muttered watching the young princess leave. Kenshin, however heard his words and grinned.  
  
"You like her, ne?" Kenshin said to Sano who just blushed a little.  
  
"I can appreciate a girl's beauty, you know? I'm not like any prince out there that I know who wouldn't even appreciate some girl's chamrs." Sano rolled his eyes.  
  
"Fine!" Kenshin said.  
  
"I better get back to my room too." Sano yawned. "See you tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah... tomorrow." Kenshin went back to his bed and laid there awake.  
  
***  
  
"How does it go?" Megumi asked seeing Enishi walked out of the waiting room.  
  
"She doesn't seem that interested on me, though." Enishi said and Megumi gasped, muttering something like 'that stupid girl!'.  
  
"I apologize for her behavior if she did something wrong." Megumi said, silently making a point to talk to Kaoru after this.  
  
"Can you do something about this?" Enishi said. "I mean... I really like her and she doesn't seem to like me too. I can feel that she already have someone... but... you do can help me, ne?"  
  
Megumi looked at Enishi, quite confused. "I can help you in any way, but how?"  
  
"You are her guardian, ne?" Enishi asked and Megumi quietly nodded. "You can prepare a party and announced my engagement with her to everybody. That way, she'll be mine whether she likes it or not."  
  
"Engagement?" Megumi said the words before a small smile appeared on her face. "That sounds nice. Tell me what day."  
  
"Any day would do." Enishi said with a smile. "The sooner, the better."  
  
"Fine... we'll have it on the dragon festival... about two months from now." Megumi said and Enishi nodded in agreement.  
  
"Just... don't tell anything about this plan to her... I don't want her to know that I'm a part of the plan. Make it looks like that you want me for her." he said and Megumi nodded. He gave a smile before walking out of the house.  
  
***  
  
The time Enishi left Kaoru alone, she have quickly went back to her room in the attic and changed back to her usual rag clothes. She sighed and sat on the old mattress she used as a bed. A small frown on her pretty face.  
  
'I can't understand him...' she thought. '...and I can't just make myself like him... specially after my conversation with him. He seems pretty persistent and he never wants to hear from me. It's just that he wants us to be closer... even more than that, but he wouldn't care whether I like it or not.'  
  
'...Kenshin was never like that to me. He will always respect what I'll have to say. He always listens to me. He always made me feel special...' a smile came playing on her face. 'He's always like that... he made me feel right, and cared for. I don't know what I'm feeling. Heck! I can't even understand what I have to feel for him... but... this is so weird, that's an understatement... I feel so weird...'  
  
'Maybe I do like him, after all... maybe Yahiko was right thinking that he was my boyfriend... HEY! Where did that COME from?' she felt a blush creep out of her face. 'Nothing like that... he just sees me as a friend, nothing more!'  
  
Her thoughts was cut-off when the attic door burst open, revealing Tomoe and Kamatari. She sighed and readied herself to be interrogated.  
  
"Kaoru!" Kamatari called and Kaoru gave her a small smile.  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"So, how does it go?" Tomoe asked while Kamatari was smiling at Kaoru widely.  
  
"I don't know if you two will like it," Kaoru sighed. "He told me that the prince was out in Yokohama to meet the consul and the princess there. He also told me that..."  
  
"A Princess?!? Are they going to get married?!? No... My dreams... my dreams..." Kamatari looked broken-hearted, saying those words in a melodramatic voice.  
  
"Er... Well, it's not like that... but Yukishiro-san told me that the king must've been planning on getting the princess closer to his son... But maybe it's not really like that..." Kaoru added trying to make Kamatari stop crying.  
  
"How can he be so unfair?" Kamatari ran out of Kaoru's 'room' while Tomoe only rolled her eyes.  
  
"The childish brat." she muttuered. "Of course that's not true... besides, the prince have met many princesses from different places and he gave none of them his attention... so, I still got my chance... I mean I always have my chance..." she said before stalking off. Kaoru sighed and closed the door of her 'room'.  
  
"They really want to marry the prince..." Kaoru said to herself.  
  
***  
  
'I can't sleep...' Kenshin rolled and tossed but he just couldn't get himself to sleep. 'Arghhhh! How come I can't sleep!' With a sigh, he drew something out of his pocket. A ribbon... Kaoru's ribbon... He still kept it and it's always with him.  
  
'Maybe I do miss her.' Kenshin sighed as he put the ribbon on his face. A faint scent of Jasmine is still there, he smiled. 'Oh... I really loved her sweet Jasmine scent... how I loved her beautiful smile, her expressive eyes... her soft hair, everything about her... Kami-sama... I do love her...' as he closed his eyes, a small smile creep out of his face as Kaoru's smiling face came in his mind's eye.  
  
'If only I could love you... if only I could make you show how I truly felt for you... My Kaoru...' Kenshin sighed again sadly, this time. 'If only I could tell it you... if only I have that courage to tell you everything... but I'm still afraid of the possibility of losing you... Kami-sama why does it have to be always so complicated for me...'  
  
He opened his eyes and stared blankly at nowhere. "Come to think of it... I still have Yukishiro as a rival for her... Not that I feel threatened by him... It's just that, at least Kaoru already knew that he's really from the palace."  
  
He smiled sadly. 'If only I could come to you and tell you everything... it wouldn't be like this... everything would be fine... If only I could...' and with that, he felt his eyes closing as he fell to asleep.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: Not as long as my other chapters but it's alright, ne? Give me your reviews minna-san... don't get tired of reading my stories and reviewing, ne? And also, I thank you for always being there and staying with me, even though sometimes, I find it so hard to update as quickly as I want. I give you a huge MWAH! And HUGZZZ as a sign of my appreciation. Again, til next chappies! Ja! 


	11. Missing You

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimers: They are not mine... blah, blah, blah...  
  
**Hi guys, I'm back again... hehe... guess what? I passed my accounting subject! Yipee! And I am so very very happy to the max!!! And because I'm very happy today... I present you this chapter of my story. Hope you'll like it!**  
  
Chapter 11: Missing you...  
  
"What do you mean we have to stay for another day?!?" Kenshin asked, raising his brows when he heard it from Sano.  
  
"It looks that way." Sano said calmly. "We have to stay for another day. It looks like the Princess and the Count has prepared a feast for you."  
  
"Oh... I can't stay here for another day." Kenshin sighed. "Why didn't they tell me yesterday?"  
  
"It seems that they like to surprise you... Oh, c'mon, it's just for a day. Tomorrow we can leave first thing in the morning." Sano said while Kenshin lets out another sigh.  
  
"So... it looks like we don't have a choice, ne?" Kenshin said before standing up. "If you need something, or if someone is looking for me... just tell me I'm out for some fresh air." he added before leaving the room.  
  
"Fine... whatever you say." Sano nodded watching his friend go away.  
  
*** 'Another long day for me.' Kaoru thought as she walked around town with Yahiko, her two stepsisters and her stepmother, buying some stuffs.  
  
"Mother... can we try that shop? I want to buy a new earrings." Tomoe said, referring to the jewelry shop.  
  
"Okay." Megumi nodded at her daughter and they went to the shop.  
  
"I want a new necklace too, ne?" Kamatari added just when they stopped in front of the shop.  
  
"Of course, my darling." Megumi said sweetly before turning to Kaoru and Yahiko. "You two stay here, okay?"  
  
"Hai." Kaoru and Yahiko both nodded while the three walked in the shop. Kaoru walked to a bench nearby and sat quietly, Yahiko followed suit.  
  
"This is so boring." Yahiko said, carefully placing some boxes and bags on his arms beside him. "They can just carry their things if you ask me."  
  
"I'm sorry. It's supposed to be only me going with them." Kaoru said, placing the bags on her hands beside her too. "You don't have to volunteer to go with us."  
  
"How can you carry all of these stuffs alone?" Yahiko frowned. "I mean... these stuffs are so heavy."  
  
"Thanks." Kaoru gave a small smile at Yahiko and looked at some passers by.  
  
"You don't have to thank me. You always know that." Yahiko said. "You know that you can always count on me no matter what. We're best friends, ne?"  
  
"Thanks." Kaoru said again without looking at Yahiko. "I know I don't have to say this but... I'm very thankful to have you as a friend. Always remember that I'll always be here for you no matter what too." she gave him another smile before looking away again. Yahiko blushed a little.  
  
"C'mon busu..." he just said, using his favorite nickname for Kaoru.  
  
"Oh, c'mon little brat." Kaoru replied with a small smile.  
  
***  
  
'Why do I have to stay here for another day.' Kenshin thought as he sat on the bench in the garden of the palace. He looked up in the sky, lifting a hand to cover his eyes from the bright sunlight.  
  
'The sky is so beautiful today... crystal blue... just like her eyes.' he thought with a smile. 'Oh how I love to drown into her deep blue eyes again...'  
  
"Maybe I do miss her... my Kaoru..." he said his thoughts aloud unconsciously. Just then he heard some rustling of leaves behind him. He turned his head to see Princess Sayo standing just behind him.  
  
"Did I disturb you?" the princess asked shyly.  
  
"No... not really." Kenshin said politely.  
  
"Can I join you?" Sayo asked and Kenshin silently nodded. "It's a very nice day today, ne?"  
  
"Hai, it is." Kenshin nodded. Silence roamed between the two for some quite time until Sayo finally spoke.  
  
"Kaoru... I heard you saying that name. If you don't mind... I'm just wondering who is she..."  
  
"Oh... Kaoru?" Kenshin said her name with a soft smile on his lips. "She's a very special friend of mine from Tokyo."  
  
"Oh... I see." Sayo faked a smile. "She must be a very lucky girl... to have you as a friend. I envy her."  
  
"No... I would say that I'm the lucky one to meet someone like her." Kenshin said.  
  
"She must be a very nice girl then." Sayo said in a low tone, looking down at her hands on her lap.  
  
"A very wonderful girl is an understatement." Kenshin said softly. "I've never met a girl like her... strong-willed, brave, kind... everything that a man would love for a girl."  
  
Sayo only turned her head to stare at the man beside her with an unreadable expression on her face. "You know, everyone hearing this would think that you're in love with this girl Kaoru..."  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin blushed a little and gave Sayo a sheepish smile. "Nothing like that..." he lied, scratching the back of his head. "Besides, she only sees me as a friend." he turned to look back at the sky.  
  
"Uhm... if you would excuse me..." Sayo stood up after some time. "... my cousin must be looking for me now."  
  
"Oh..." Kenshin turned to Sayo with a smile.  
  
"Uhm... so see you at the feast? We're expecting you there, ne?"  
  
"Of course." Kenshin said and Sayo turned to leave. "Princess Sayo..."  
  
"Hai?" Sayo stopped walking and turned to Kenshin. "What it is Himura- sama?"  
  
"Thank you for your company. I enjoyed it." Kenshin gave her a smile. Sayo only blushed a little.  
  
"It's alright. I enjoyed your company too..." Sayo said shyly. "See you later." and with that, she left.  
  
*** "Hey... this is the fifth stop!" Yahiko said as he sank to a seat, carelessly throwing the boxes and things on his hands beside him, Kaoru however remained standing, hugging the bags and boxes in her arms and looking around at some passers by.  
  
"What are you doing?" Yahiko frowned at her.  
  
"Oh... nothing." Kaoru said and sat down beside Yahiko.  
  
"Are you looking for someone? A guy named Kenshin, perhaps?" Yahiko asked and Kaoru blushed prettily.  
  
"N-no... O-of c-course not..." Kaoru lied. The truth is that, she is really looking for her red-haired friend. It's almost half a day and she have never seen the red head anywhere for the whole day.  
  
"I haven't seen him." Yahiko said. "Usually, he always come to see you, ne? What if he is not around because he's out on a date with his girlfriend..."  
  
"Girlfriend?!?" Kaoru's eyes widened. "That can't be! He doesn't have any girlfriends! Or... does he?"  
  
"Oh... and you're telling me that you don't like him!" Yahiko rolled his eyes. "It's pretty obvious, if you ask me."  
  
"But he only sees me as a friend." Kaoru sighed. "There's nothing more that I could do about it."  
  
"So, you're admitting that you like him." Yahiko asked with a huge grin on his face.  
  
"I don't know... maybe..." Kaoru said, blushing furiously. "I can't understand my feelings anymore. It's just that when he's around, I feel as if my day is complete, as if I could smile the whole day even if Aunt Megumi always yell at me. It's alright... but now, now that he's not around... I feel like... like..."  
  
"You miss him?" Yahiko asked, smiling widely.  
  
"Something like that." Kaoru said, looking down to hide her blushing face.  
  
"Maybe, you're falling for the guy." Yahiko said aloud. "I'm so happy for you."  
  
"No! Nothing like that... I mean... how could I fall for..."  
  
"You fell for him without knowing it." Yahiko said. "It's seems like that... from friends... it developed to something more."  
  
"I fell for him without knowing it?" Kaoru said in a soft voice. 'Maybe... I do fell for him without knowing it...' she added in her mind.  
  
***  
  
"Hello there!"  
  
Sayo turned to see a tall man leaning casually on the wall with a fishbone hanging on his mouth. She forced a smile at him and continued walking.  
  
"Oi... I just greeted you."  
  
"Hi." Sayo said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Sagara Sanosuke." the man extended a hand at Sayo. The young princess only stared at Sano's extended hand. "Hey... I'm just trying to be friendlier to you."  
  
"I didn't ask you to be 'friendlier' to me." Sayo said. "...uhm... Sa... what's your name again?"  
  
"It's Sanosuke!" Sano said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Whatever." Sayo said and continued walking. Sano, however is silently walking just behind her. Irritated, Sayo turned to face the young man. "Are you following me?"  
  
"I'm not." Sano said coolly. "I just happen to go the same way you're going."  
  
Sayo rolled her eyes and continued walking. Sano just followed suit. "I saw you talking with Kenshin."  
  
"You dare call him by his first name?" Sayo raised an eyebrow, not looking at Sano.  
  
"Prince Kenshin then."  
  
"You sound so familiar with him. You're only his subordinate... why do you act so cool when you're with him."  
  
"I may be his subordinate... but I'm his best friend too." Sano said. "Besides, Kenshin is not that kind of a person. He never really treats me like his subordinate, even if he is the prince."  
  
"I see."  
  
"I saw you talking with him this morning." Sano said again, trying to start a decent conversation. "I rarely see him that... nice with a princess before. What did you do?"  
  
"What do you mean by that? Prince Kenshin is a very nice man... and he is a complete gentleman too. Unlike some 'other' people I know here." Sayo said throwing a glance at Sano.  
  
"Sorry for not being a complete gentleman for you." Sano rolled his eyes. "...but you know... Kenshin is always being antisocial when it comes to people like you. You know... young ladies and princesses like you. I bet you're hearing stories about him being an ice man."  
  
"Yes... but I never believed it." Sayo said, stopping to walk, though her back was still on Sano. "They say that he never talks to any princesses and he never pays attention to them."  
  
"That's true."  
  
"So... why do you think he talked to me this time?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe he sees that you are different from the other girls he had met before." Sano said. "Maybe he enjoys your company."  
  
'If that is so... maybe I still have my chance on him... demo...'  
  
"Kaoru... he told me that she is a very special friend of his... do you know anything about this girl?" Sayo asked.  
  
"Oh... jou-chan." Sano smiled. "I've met her once and she's really a very nice girl. She's the first girl Kenshin actually grows closer too. I mean... I never saw him that happy with a girl before."  
  
"Oh..." Sayo said with a sigh, her head looking down, finding her feet interesting. "I see."  
  
"If you would see them together... one may think that they're a real couple." Sano chuckled. "Though, he is too shy to admit it."  
  
"I see." Sayo said in a low voice. "So... he likes her."  
  
"Seems that way." Sano said.  
  
Sayo continued walking and Sano continued following her. "Why do you keep following me again?" she asked obviously annoyed now.  
  
'Wow, this girl has mood swings...' Sano thought with a smile. "I told you... I'm not following you. I just happen to go to the same way you're going..." he said aloud coolly. Sayo only scowled and rolled her eyes and continued walking.  
  
"Whatever." Sayo said in a whisper.  
  
TBC...  
  
A/N: So, what do you think? Do you like it? Just tell me, okay? (Is there any grammatical errors again? If there is, I'm sorry again. I hope you don't mind ",x ) Leave me a review, ne? Onegai?  
  
A/N2: Hi Cherry! do you think that this fic sounds familiar? Well, honestly I've based this story on that little Cinderella series once aired on t.v... hehe... Filipino ka siguro 'no? channel 2 yon dti eh at gusting-gusto ko tlaga yun kya naisipan kong gumawa ng istorya na base dun sa Cinderella na iyon. Pero okay, lang naman eh, ne? Hehe... 


	12. The Feast

Rurouni Kenshin: Cinderella Story

by: nyllemnev  
  
Disclaimer's: They are not mine...  
  
Chapter 12: The Feast  
  
Kenshin sighed as he watched how the ballroom crowded. The ball is now starting and several people from different kingdoms are now coming in the palace. 'This is going to be a long night...'  
  
"Oi, being unfriendly again?"  
  
Kenshin turned to see his best friend coming his way. "Not really... just bored, maybe."  
  
"Heheh... I knew it." Sano smirked. "Why aren't you asking any girl to dance? I heard you have just turned down a couple of young ladies."  
  
"Well, it's supposed to be the man who should ask them for a dance not the other way around, you know." Kenshin rolled his eyes. "And besides, I don't feel like dancing."  
  
"Hehe... they're just doing it because you wouldn't even give a damn for them."  
  
"How about you... why aren't you enjoying?" Kenshin cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Hey, hey... it's supposed to be you who is enjoying this whole event 'cause it's for you, not for me..." Sano shrugged. "But you doesn't seem to like it."  
  
"It's just like those parties my parents organized in the palace. I'm sick of this..." Kenshin sighed. "I just want to go home, you know."  
  
"Yeah... I know... You're always complaining about that." Sano said while Kenshin sighed again. "C'mon... just chill out you know..." he added while he turned his head to watch some couples dance.  
  
"There you are Prince Kenshin..."  
  
Both Sano and Kenshin turned their heads to see Princess Sayo approaching them. She was wearing a beautiful and elegant jade dress and wore her long brown curly locks in a simple but elegant bun on her head.  
  
"I've been searching all over for you." she said as she came to them. "How come you're just standing here? You're supposed to enjoy this whole night."  
  
"I've been telling him that same thing, princess." Sano said.  
  
"I would like to thank you for this whole thing, Princess Sayo... It's really flattering that you prepared this party for me demo..." Kenshin said politlely.  
  
"Don't you like it?" Sayo frowned a little, looking a little disappointed.  
  
"Well... nothing like that..." Kenshin shook his head. "I just... well... I just don't feel like dancing..."  
  
"Oh... I see..." Sayo sighed and looked down.  
  
"Well, I guess... I better leave you two for a moment." Sano said, feeling a little out of place, all of a sudden, turned to leave.  
  
"Er... maybe Sano, you just make Princess Sayo a company." Kenshin said to Sano who gave him a confused look. "I... well, I'll just go out to have some fresh air..." he added smirking at Sano.  
  
"Eh?" Sano and Sayo blinked and exchanged look before turning to him.  
  
"So, I guess... I'll just see you around... Ja!" Kenshin smiled before turning to leave.  
  
"Demo..." Sayo and Sano both said at the same time.

* * *

Kaoru sighed as she watched the man in front of her talk. Yukishiro Enishi has become a usual guest in the mansion, visiting her every night, showering her gifts and flowery words.  
  
"Y-yukishiro-kun..." she said in a soft voice looking down.  
  
"Hai?" the man stopped talking and stared at her.  
  
"I thought I have made myself clear about this... uhm..." Kaoru bit her lip nervously. "I mean..."  
  
"I know..." Enishi said. "But I really..."  
  
"Please... don't make it harder for me... onegai..."  
  
Enishi only stared at the young woman in front of him with an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Alright... fine..." he said in a cold voice. "But could you at least tell me the reason..."  
  
"I told you before it's because..."  
  
"And I am willing to get to know you more." Enishi frowned. "I know it's something else..."  
  
Kaoru only turned to stare at the man in front of her. She shivered at the sight of his eyes, as if there's something hidden behind those cold and fierce eyes. Feeling that she can't answer looking at his eyes, she looked down before answering, "Let's just be friends... onegai... Don't make things harder for the both of us, please..."  
  
Enishi sighed before standing up. "I guess... I really don't have my chance... then..." 

"Gomen-nasai..."  
  
"Oh... it's..." Enishi took a deep breath before continuing, "...fine... just fine..." he turned to leave. "I guess I'll see you some other day."

* * *

Sayo and Sano just stood there, watching the spot where Kenshin have left. They frowned at each other before turning to stare at the same spot again.  
  
"Well, enjoy the party..." Sayo sighed, looking really disappointed. "I'll just... well, go back to..."  
  
"Eh? Where are you going? Aren't you supposed to enjoy the party too?" Sano frowned as sayo turned to walk away.  
  
"Well, I can't have this dance with Prince Kenshin, so... there's no way I'm going to enjoy this whole thing..." Sayo took a deep breath. "That's the whole reason why I insisted on having this whole party for him... I just want him to notice me... but, I guess it failed."  
  
"You like him, ne? It's pretty obvious..." Sano smirked at the now blushing lady.  
  
"How dare you talk to me like that?!?" Sayo raised an eyebrow at the amused young man. "Stop grinning at me like that!" she looked away.  
  
"Well, I'm just asking, you know." Sano said as he put his hands in the pockets of his pants. "You should stop being so cold, you know... you're beautiful but you're just so cold to others..."  
  
"Am I?" Sayo turned to look at him, frowning. "How dare you call cold?!? I'm not!"  
  
"Well, if you're always like that I might think that you are." Sano said flatly making the princess grew angrier.  
  
"You don't have the right to speak to me like that stranger!"  
  
"I have a name, you know, lady."  
  
"Well fine, Shino-something!"  
  
"It's Sanosuke!" Sano growled.  
  
"Fine... whatever." Sayo rolled her eyes.  
  
"Fine! Who would like a lady like you, anyway... no wonder Kenshin is avoiding you... you're such a cold and very unfriendly young lady..." Sano muttered under his breath.  
  
"And no wonder you don't have a girl... it's because you look like a gangster..." Sayo said back, looking away sharply. Sano have to fist his hands in his pockets and to grit his teeth so as not to hurt the young woman.  
  
"Sorry for being such a gangster," Sano said. "I take it back when I said you are beautiful... I must have something in my eye, sorry!"  
  
"Why you-?!?" Sayo glared at Sano who glared back. "Sorry for being not so beautiful for you! For all I care!" she added sarcastically.  
  
"Fine! Don't talk to me then..." Sano turned his back at her making Sayo grew more furious.  
  
"Excuse me!" Sayo snorted. "If I remember it correctly, you are the one talking to me."  
  
"Did I just hear someone talk?" Sano said mockingly and looked around.  
  
"Fine! Goodbye!" Sayo rolled her eyes and stalked away. Sano only heaved a sigh of relief muttering something like, 'Women are so scary!'

* * *

"Ah... Sano, how could you annoy her like that..." Kenshin rolled his eyes as he watched how his friend and the young princess talk to each other in a very 'unfriendly' manner. "I know that you like her... how could you make her pissed off like that..."  
  
'Come to think of it... Sano seems always so... knowledgeable about women... he always says that but he can never say anything to make Princess Sayo...' he shook his head as he walked turned to watch the stars.  
  
"...well, I guess, it's just always like that..." Kenshin sighed. "People become weird in front of the person they like... They just can't say the right words when they're in front of that person."  
  
Kenshin sighed again as he turned his head back to his friend and a certain young woman. He shook his head again when he saw the lady walked away Sano. "I wonder what he said to make her become that angry." he frowned.

* * *

"That stupid Sano!!!!" Sayo said angrily to herself as she locked herself inside of her room. "How dare he?!? Who does he think he is?!? He's just a no one!!!! How dare he talk to me like that!!!! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!"  
  
She frowned as she sank on her soft bed staring at nowhere. 'But... is it really true? Am I really... Was it really the reason why Kenshin-sama doesn't like me?'  
  
'Maybe that Kaoru is so sweet and kind to others, so unlike me... maybe that made Kenshin-sama like her better than me... maybe that's why...' she rolled and buried her face on her pillow. "Maybe that Sano is right after all... Maybe I should say sorry to him..."  
  
'Wait a minute... Say SORRY?!? No way! No way I'm going to say sorry to a... what... someone like him! He started it! He started it, really! It's not my fault! It is because he is soo... Mou! I hate him! I really do!!!' she thought as she just lied awake in her bed.

* * *

"Ha! As if! Fine go away!" Sano frowned as he watched the princess go away. "For all I care!"  
  
"Hey Sano!" Kenshin quietly approached his friend who turned daggers at him.  
  
"You idiot! Why did you left me alone with her?!? We could just leave her alone, you know?" Sano glared at Kenshin who sweatdropped.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that. But that would be rude, you know." Kenshin said sheepishly. "Besides, I thought you like her."  
  
"Me?!? Like her?!? You've got to be kidding me!" Sano frowned.  
  
"But you told me that you think she is beautiful."  
  
"When the hell did I ever told you that?!?" Sano growled loudly making some heads turn to their direction. "I never said that! Must be your stupid imagination!" he added in a lower voice.  
  
"Well... fine, you never said it... but..."  
  
"Okay, fine! She maybe beautiful but she is so cold and snobbish! I don't really like her at all!" Sano said angrily. "She's not my type."  
  
"Really, huh?" Kenshin said in a low voice and smirked.  
  
"What's with that grin?!?" Sano frowned again while Kenshin only shook his head.  
  
"I just said that 'wow! It's already past midnight'." Kenshin said, raising his hands. "Nothing really, okay?"  
  
"Fine!" Sano said.  
  
'Whoa! Scary...' Kenshin thought with a smile. '...but interesting... hehe...'  
  
tbc...  
  
A/N: I guess this is it... at last, I have finished this chapter. Sorry guys for the long delay... (gomen-nasai, minna-san, gomen, gomen, gomen)... I'm just really REALLY really busy and well, I ran out of ideas... but anyway, it's here... chapter 12 of RKCS. I do hope that you're still there with me to review... Till next chapters, ja'ne!


	13. Back to Tokyo

A RK Cinderella Story

by: nyllemnev

Disclaimer: They're not mine...

Chapter 13: Back to Tokyo

Kenshin smiled as he watched the servants put his trunks into the carriage. 'At last... we're going back to Tokyo..' he thought happily.

"At last we're going back!" Sano voiced out Kenshin's thoughts which made the young prince frown in confusion at him. "Why? Aren't you the one who's really keen on going back?" he raised an eyebrow as he caught Kenshin frowning at him.

"Yeah… it's just that… you seemed, well, you're just too excited to go back." Kenshin shrugged.

"Hell yeah, I am!" Sano rolled his eyes knowing where this thing will be going. "I can't stand being in here with that stupid…"

"You know, you should at least apologize to her… I mean…"

"It's her fault, not mine." Sano said stubbornly. "She should apologize! She thinks too high of herself just because she is a princess."

"Oh, c'mon Sano… but tell me honestly, you called her something that made her annoyed, right?"

"I'm just telling her the truth."

"Fine… fine… this is leading nowhere…" Kenshin shook his head. "I'll just walk around here."

"Fine." Sano, who was still in a bad mood to care. He just stood there and watched the servants put their things in the carriage.

* * *

Kaoru sighed as she stared at her reflection on a small mirror, her hand carefully touching the little blue spot on her right cheek. 'Mou… what will I do to hide this? Maybe I'll just let my hair fall for today…' she thought, putting her green ribbon back on her small drawer, together with her small mirror.

'I got to get up now and start working…' Kaoru thought as she stood up and stepped out of her 'room'.

"Oh… so the little devil is finally up!" Tomoe said sarcastically as Kaoru passed her room.

"Ohayo, Tomoe-san…" Kaoru said, as politely as she could while Tomoe only narrowed her eyes at her.

"I don't see what's good in the morning!" Tomoe said before closing her door right in front of Kaoru's face with a loud bang. Kaoru only looked down and sighed. 'I guess, they're very mad at me now… This is going to be a long day…' she thought as she headed for the kitchen.

"I'll have to start making breakfast now." she said to herself as she opened the kitchen doors. She let out a sigh of relief when she didn't see Yahiko inside. "Better start working now…" she said more to herself as she opened a cabinet to get some cooking utensils and some vegetables.

"How's your night?" Kaoru bit her lip as she felt Yahiko enter the kitchen, mustering all the courage that she could, she gave him a small smile.

"Ohayo… you're early today."

"I heard the witch yelling at you last night." Yahiko frowned, taking a seat. "What happened this time?"

"Er… I just did something wrong…" she said, nervously making sure that her long hair is covering the small mark on her face. "Yeah… they always do that when I did something wrong…" she repeated.

"Really, huh?" Yahiko smirked. "You don't usually get that for doing something wrong." he added, pointing at the bluish spot on Kaoru's right cheek.

"Oh… this?" Kaoru lets out another nervous smile. "I got it when… er… when I fell down the stairs… I was so clumsy really…"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah… I should be more careful next time, I think…" she lets out a nervous giggle. "Better start working now." she turned her back to Yahiko and started to chop some vegetables.

"Don't lie. I saw everything last night." Yahiko said making Kaoru's widened, almost cutting her finger with her knife. "I peeked through the window when I heard the old witch yelling at you."

"Mou!"

"Honestly… you should learn to fight back, you know? You're a martial artist… a very good one, well, next to me, of course… but you're letting them hurt you like that." Yahiko sighed, "You shouldn't waste those lessons and trainings that Kamiya-sensei have given you, you know?"

"I couldn't do that… my father taught…"

"The sword that protects… yeah, he did… But the thing is, you're not using it to protect yourself."

"But I don't want to hurt them… I mean, it's nothing really… I'm used to it." Kaoru replied in a low voice.

"Well… fine… whatever you think will do." Yahiko sighed, shaking his head. "I wouldn't be surprise to see you dead next time… See you later." he added, quickly standing up from his seat and getting out of the room, leaving Kaoru thinking about what he just said.

'Now surprised when he saw me… dead?'

* * *

"Prince Kenshin!" Sayo smiled as she saw the redheaded prince walking around the palace.

"Good morning, Princess Sayo." Kenshin returned her smile. "I'm really sorry about Sano… well, he's not really like that… he's just that…"

"I don't wanna talk about him… Mou!" Sayo pouted a little. "He is sooo… arghh! Please, I don't wanna ruin my day."

"Sumimasen…"

"You're going back to Tokyo, I believe." Sayo asked, as she stood in front of Kenshin who only nodded at her.

"Hai… we'll be leaving in a couple of hours."

"I see." Sayo sighed. "Well, I really enjoyed your stay here… I hoped you'll visit us again, that I do."

"I enjoyed my stay here too." Kenshin smiled. "And yes… I would be glad to visit you again some other time, though it would be better if you'll go visit Tokyo some time. It's a very nice place."

"I would love that." Sayo smiled back, blushing a little.

"It's a deal then." Kenshin said, "…I'll be expecting you in the palace some other time, my new friend."

'My new friend?' Sayo mentally frowned at that but decided to just let it pass. "Of course." she said out loud in the usual gentle tone in her voice.

"I think… I better get going then…" Kenshin said, glancing at his golden watch before placing it back on the pockets of his coat.

"Hai… be careful on your trip, then." Sayo flashed a faked smile.

* * *

"Water!" Megumi said to Kaoru who quickly poured some water on her glass.

"Me too." Kamatari and Tomoe both said at the same time to Kaoru.

"I'm there." Kaoru said, as she poured some water on Kamatari's glass, then on Tomoe's.

"You'll have to go to the market to buy me a new handkerchief, don't forget that." Tomoe said, glaring at the quiet Kaoru. "I want white… get that?!? Not pink, not yellow."

"Definitely, Tomoe-san." Kaoru nodded her head a little.

"You'll have to pick up that kimono I made that Sekihara-woman made for me after that." Kamatari said. "And those usual things too…" she gave Kaoru a knowing look.

"I'll do that."

"Alright." Megumi said. "Clean the whole house up before going then… We're going out for a while and I want everything done before we get back."

"Certainly."

"I'm finished." Megumi said, pushing her empty plate aside before standing up.

"Me too." Kamatari said with a huge smile on her face before purposely spilling the contents of her glass of water on the floor. "Ooops… sorry." she giggled before running out of the room.

"Manners, sister." Tomoe said before leaving Kaoru alone in the dining hall.

* * *

"Did you find out his weakness?" a man, wearing a dark blue cloak said to some nasty-looking men.

"We're not sure yet… but our spies told us that he's seen talking with that Yokohama princess once." it was a huge man who answered.

"I see."

"What do you want to do, master?" it was another man who answered. "Do you want us to get the girl?"

"No, no… We can't say that she's already his weakness just because you saw him talking to her once." the cloaked man said. "Make sure first that your information is correct."

"Right, master."

"Watch his every move as for now. I'll give you a signal when it's safe to attack… We have to be careful 'coz he's really tough."

"As you wish master." and with that, the nasty-looking men disappeared in sight.

* * *

"What's wrong with you Sano?" Kenshin frowned as he watched his whistling friend.

"What?" Sano frowned too.

"You seem so… er… so happy that we're going back to Tokyo."

"Why? Aren't you?"

"Of course I'm happy that we're going back to Tokyo…" Kenshin gave a small nod. "But… I just thought that you're kinda acting a little weird lately."

"I'm not." Sano said flatly. "And if you're going to start lecturing me about that old maid… just shut up!"

"Fine!" Kenshin sighed. "Whatever you say, Sano."

"I don't like her!" Sano growled. "I don't! Who would like a woman who looked like an old maid! Arghh! I'd rather die a bachelor!"

"Whatever you say, my friend." Kenshin sighed. He starting to get tired listening to his friend rumble about a certain princess. He just stared outside, letting his mind wonder about a certain Tokyo girl…

* * *

"Ohayo!" Kaoru greeted as she entered her friend Tae's shop.

"Kaoru-chan! It's nice to see you again… you're welcome." Tae cheerfully gave her friend a hug. "You're not visiting me for a while now."

"Gomen… I was… er… kinda busy lately." Kaoru smiled at her friend.

"What's that on your face?" Tae frowned, placing Kaoru's hair that fell on her face on the back of her ear. "Mou! Who did this to you?"

"Oh… er… it's nothing." Kaoru said, covering the bluish spot on her cheek with her hair again. "Just an accident… I fell down the stairs."

"Mou! You should be careful next time." Tae said at Kaoru sternly. "Mou! It would ruin your face… your pretty face."

"I'm not pretty." Kaoru said, letting out a sigh of relief that Tae bought her alibi.

"Mou!" Tae only shook her head. "Here… let me place some ointments in that."

"No… it's alright, really…" Kaoru said but Tae have already left to get a small medicine box.

"Here… Mou! You should be more careful, Kaoru-chan." Tae said as she started to put some ointment on Kaoru's small bruise. "You should take care of your face, you know?"

"Mou!" Kaoru pouted. "I told you that…"

"If you're ugly, that would make your mother ugly too." Tae gave a stern look at Kaoru, putting her medicine box aside. "'Coz… you're a living replica of your mother… that's why that mean Megumi hated you!"

"I do… look like her?" Kaoru blinked at Tae who gave her a small smile.

"Undoubtedly. You are Sakura-chan's exact copy… well, except for your eyes… you got it from your father." Tae said.

Kaoru sighed. What Tae have told her makes her miss her mother more. 'Oh… I wish I could see her again…'

"Oh… I'm sorry… I must've said something that I shouldn't have." Tae, who have quickly noticed Kaoru's sigh, said in a low voice.

"No… tell me more about my mother." Kaoru said. "I mean… I've never really known that much about her… she died when I was just a little girl…"

"Oh, Kaoru…" Tae sighed. "I know how much you missed your mother… I mean, I do missed her too… demo, I know she wouldn't like it if she'll see me or more importantly you, sad."

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Kaoru smiled.

"Oh… I'm going to show you something… wait here." Tae stood up and left Kaoru for a while. When she got back, she have an elegant light blue dress, a mask and a crystal-blue slippers.

"It's so… beautiful…" Kaoru sighed, touching the soft silk material of the dress.

"It's your mother's." Tae smiled. "Plus that necklace with a blue diamond pendant."

"Oh! That?" Kaoru's eyes brighten as she remembered the last thing her mother have left her before she died and the only thing that she have hidden from Megumi and her stepsisters when they arrived the house.

"She was wearing this dress and the slippers, the first time she met your father on a masked ball." Tae told Kaoru. "It was really… I mean… the first time they saw each other… it was like love at first sight…"

"…I mean, I knew it. I was there. It was your father who has first asked Sakura-chan for a dance. I mean, they literally danced the whole night… They started going out a lot after that night. Tetsuro-san could be seen almost everyday in Sakura-chan's house, though, he insisted on everyone that they're just friends."

"Eh? How come?" Kaoru blinked curiously at that.

"I don't know… maybe he's just shy or something." Tae shrugged. "Honestly, up to now… I'm still wondering how he got the courage to confess his feelings to my best friend." she added, with a dreamy look on her face.

"I never thought otousan would be the shy-type of man." Kaoru giggled.

"Yeah… there was a time when your mother almost gave up waiting for him."

"Eh?"

"Yeah… that time I thought they would never be together again… I mean, Sakura-chan started to avoid him, she even didn't talk to him for almost a week! Maybe that was what made him confess his feelings for her."

"Wow." Kaoru smiled. "They're love story was so… so, like in those books that I've read before…"

"And that necklace…" Tae continued. "Your father had given your mother that necklace the day he confessed his feelings for her."

"Oh… how I wish I would meet someone like my father." Kaoru said, dreamily. "A sweet, kind and brave man like him… though, I wouldn't want a very shy man like him…" she giggled before blushing furiously as she noticed that her mind was slowly drifted to a certain redheaded man.

"You'll find someone special for you, Kaoru-chan… I knew you would." Tae smiled. "Would you like to keep this with you?" she added, referring to Sakura's kimono.

"Nah… It would be better if you keep it here." Kaoru said, "Besides, Aunt Megumi might throw it away the time she sees it."

"Alright." Tae sighed. "You said you need something?"

"Oh… yeah…" Kaoru nodded. "Here." she handed her friend a small paper.

"Alright. Wait here while I get these things for you." Tae said before leaving Kaoru for a while.

* * *

(Some hours Later… in Tokyo…)

"Maybe I'll just stop and walk around here for a moment." Kenshin said, telling the coachman to stop.

"Oi… Your father's going to look for you." Sano frowned as Kenshin jumped out of the carriage, with a small bag with him. "What are those?" he asked pointing at the bag.

"A change of clothes." Kenshin said with a smile. "I can't walk around here wearing this." he added, looking down at himself. He was still wearing his white royal suit.

"Yeah…" Sano sighed. "But what am I going to tell your…"

"You can tell him that I… er…" Kenshin frowned. "You can just… think of a story, okay?" he added with a wink before starting to run away. "I'm leaving everything to you Sano."

"Oh, brother… he's giving me so much trouble!" Sano rolled his eyes.

* * *

"So… I think, I better get going." Kaoru smiled at her friend as she stood up. "Thanks."

"Sure…" Tae said, patting the younger lady's shoulder. "Visit me again some other time, ne?"

"Hai."

"Be careful on your way."

"Hai." Kaoru gave her friend another smile before walking out of the shop, carefully checking if she had Tomoe's and Kamatari's things inside the small bag that she's carrying. She was so busy staring inside the bag that she didn't notice a man standing in front of her. "Ooops!"

"Oh… sorry, Miss…"

"No… I'm sorry…" Kaoru said, looking up to see that the man was none other than her redheaded friend, Kenshin. "Kenshin! Hey…"

"Kaoru-dono… It's good to see you." Kenshin said, smiling at Kaoru.

"Yeah…" Kaoru smiled, looking down to hide the blush that was forming in her face. "Me too."

Kenshin's eyes widened at that as a little blush crept out of his face. "Really? I'm glad." he managed to say, looking at the other direction. 'Damn it… the very great time to act so stupid…' he thought, mentally kicking himself for not thinking of anything good to say.

"Of course." Kaoru said, looking up at Kenshin with a the same bright smile on her face. "I haven't seen you for a couple of days… doing some work for a change?" she joked.

"Actually… you're right." Kenshin chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Going somewhere?"

"Well… I still need to buy some sweets for my stepsister, actually." Kaoru nodded, starting to walk ahead of Kenshin. "Maybe I'll visit Kionji-san. I haven't seen him for quite a while."

"Mind some company?" Kenshin asked, following Kaoru.

"No…" Kaoru stopped walking for a while to wait for Kenshin.

"Thanks." Kenshin smiled. "Here… Let me carry those for you."

"No… it's alright… I mean… er…" Kaoru sighed when Kenshin got the bag from her. She only gave him a small smile muttering a soft, "Thanks…"

"No problem." Kenshin smiled again, as they began walking towards Kionji-san's shop. They walked together with a companionable silence clouding the atmosphere, with Kenshin glancing sideways at Kaoru when she was not looking. 'She's really so… I only haven't seen her for a couple of days but… I wish I could think of something to talk about with…' he thought as he threw a quick glance at her. 'Her eyes seems to shine more brightly… her smile seems to become beautiful and her… hey… what's that…' he frowned as he noticed a small bluish spot on her cheek.

"Huh?" Kaoru gasped and stopped walking as she felt Kenshin's hand lightly touching her cheek. "Nani?" she turned, finding him staring at the little bruise on her face.

"What happened to your face?" Kenshin asked, his eyes staring straight at her own blue ones.

"Just an accident." Kaoru quickly looked down, feeling that blood was slowly rising in her face. "I fell down from the stairs… My fault… don't worry…"

Kenshin only stared at her as he began to lightly caress her cheeks with his hand. 'Kami-sama… her cheek is so soft and smooth… I've never touched anything so…'

"Uhm… K-Kenshin… er…"

Kaoru's voice made Kenshin's mind come back to reality. He blushed, as he finally realized what he's been doing. Quickly, though reluctantly, his hand dropped to his side. "Gomen-nasai…" he muttered in embarrassment.

"Thank you for your concern…" Kaoru said shyly, blushing furiously. "So… let's go?"

"Hai." Kenshin nodded as they both continued to walk again. 'That was so… argh!'

'Mou! Why did he… I mean… did that mean that he actually… I mean…' Kaoru bit her lip as the once comfortable silence between the two of them is slowly making her nervous. 'Mou… Kaoru no baka! Think of something good to talk about…'

'Darn you Kenshin! Why do you have to act stupid now and worse, in front of my Kaoru!?!?!? Oro?!? My?!? Where did that come from?' Kenshin blushed at that thought. 'Baka! Think of something… more sensible to talk about… what?!? Arghh!!!'

"Er…" Kenshin and Kaoru both muttered at the same time making them stare at each other. "You first…"

"No… you first…" Kaoru giggled nervously at the awkwardness of the situation.

"No, it's alright."

"No… it's non-sense, anyway."

"Okay…" Kenshin sighed. "…so, uhm… a-anou… er…" he stammered. 'Wow! What a very sensible conversation, Himura!' his mind sarcastically shouted.

"Yes?" Kaoru smiled, staring at him in confusion.

'Maybe… I could just tell her who I really am…' he thought, glancing at her. 'Maybe, this is the right time… alright… it's now or never.' he took a deep breath before turning to Kaoru.

"Kao…"

"Oh! Look, we're already here!" Kaoru exclaimed. "You're saying anything, Kenshin?" she quickly turned to the blushing redhead who only shook his head.

"The thing that I was really saying." Kenshin said, nodding his head. "We're here…" he lets out a nervous laugh while his mentally cursing his bad luck. 'Wow! Very good timing, there…'

"Come on, Kenshin." Kaoru smiled, grabbing his arm and dragging him inside the shop with her. He smiled, letting her pull him with her.

'Well… I still have… anytime to tell her…'

"Kaoru-chan… and oh… you're Kenshin-kun." Kinoji happily greeted the two as they entered his shop. "It's good to see you two… together." he added with a wink to Kenshin when Kaoru was not looking. This made the red head blush a little.

"It's good to see you too." Kaoru smiled widely at the man.

"Oh… what happened to your face?" Kionji frowned, noticing the bruise on Kaoru's cheek. Kaoru only shook her head saying that "It was nothing, really… just an accident."

"You should be more careful, Kaoru-chan." Kionji said to Kaoru in a fatherly tone. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Oh… just the usual things for Kamatari-san." Kaoru said to Kionji who excused himself to get the thing that Kaoru ordered. A little while later, he reappeared in the room with a small box of cake in his hand, plus two small bags of sweet breads. "Here, take it."

"But I just ordered…"

"It's for you and your nice 'friend' here." Kionji said with a huge smile on his face that made Kenshin and Kaoru blush (they do a lot of blushing here, ne?) again.

"Thanks Kionji-san… I'll visit you again soon when I have some time." Kaoru smiled at the nice old man who smiled back at her. She made a move to get the items that she had bought but Kenshin is faster.

"I'll take it… I'll carry it for you." Kenshin quickly said while Kaoru only gave him a smile. They left the shop, bidding some goodbye's to the owner of the shop before making their way towards Kaoru's home.

"Kenshin… can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Kenshin nodded, glancing sideways at Kaoru who was silently playing with the sleeves of her kimono.

"Uhm… for example you really liked a person, and well, you don't know if she liked you to." Kaoru started, looking down, her long hair hiding her face from Kenshin's view. "…then, someone came telling that she liked you very much. Who would you choose? The one you really liked, but you're not sure if she liked you… or the one who liked you?"

"Eh?" Kenshin blinked at Kaoru blankly. "Who would I choose?"

"Yeah." Kaoru turned to look at Kenshin, who only stared at her.

"Er… Well…"

"Another thing…" Kaoru quickly added. "The reason why you don't want to tell that person that like what you really feel about her is because you're scared that you might lose her when you… well… when you tell her what you really feels?"

Kenshin only stared at Kaoru with an odd look at his face. 'It's like our situation…' he thought, tearing eye contact with Kaoru. "I'll choose the person I like, of course."

"Why?" Kaoru looked away from Kenshin. "You mean, you're not going to go to the person who liked you?"

"Yeah… well, if ever I'm going to choose the person who liked me… I'll only do it to, well… forget the person I really liked." Kenshin sighed. "And I don't want to do that… I don't want to hurt anyone just for my own good. I don't wanna use anyone for my own selfishness… and besides, if that will be the case… the feeling won't be mutual."

"But, will you tell the person you liked… even if it meant losing her forever?" she asked as she stopped walking beside Kenshin who only stood quietly beside her.

Kenshin's eyes widened at that. He slowly threw a cautious glance at Kaoru. 'No… I don't wanna lose you… I can't imagine life without you…'

"Kenshin? Are you going to take the risk?" Kaoru turned to face him, her eyes shone with a mixture of emotions that he couldn't explain. He looked down, not knowing what to say.

"I don't know." Kenshin said in a low voice. "I can't even imagine myself without… her…" he slowly looked up to stare at Kaoru's shining blue eyes. "For me… she is everything…" he continued, his hand unconsciously grabbing Kaoru's hand.

Kaoru gasped as she felt Kenshin's firm grip on her hand, not tearing her eyes away from him. 'Can it be?' she thought, biting her lower lip as it began trembling. "So… does it mean that… y-you're… n-not go-going t-to tell… her?"

Kenshin's eyes widened as his grip on her hand becomes tighter. "Kaoru… I… well… I… er… I lo-…" before Kenshin could finish what he's going to say, a loud shout cut him off.

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?!?"

Kaoru quickly pulled her hand out of Kenshin's grasp as she turned to see an enraged Megumi standing near them. She only realized that they were already near the Kamiya property.

"A-Aunt M-Megumi…" Kaoru nervously stammered, staring at the enraged woman with a shocked expression on her face.

TBC…

A/N: Okay, another chapter done. I wish you'll like it. I'm really really sorry for the long wait… (I hope you're not to mad at me… gomen-nasai, gomen-nasai, gomen-nasai…) Please tell me what you think, ne? Please review, ne?


	14. Plans

**RK: Cinderella Story**

**by: nyllemnev**

**Disclaimer's: **They're not mine.

A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, I mean… SORRY… for the long wait! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry… well… anyway, here goes nothing… enjoy!

**Chapter 14: Plans**

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!?"

Kaoru quickly pulled her hand away from Kenshin's grasp and turned to see her angry stepmother standing a few feet away from them. She instantly became aware of where she was now as she saw the huge Kamiya mansion nearby. "A-Aunt Megumi…"

"What's the meaning of this?!?" Megumi repeated while Kaoru took some steps towards her, leaving the redheaded man watching her with the same shock expression on his face. "Is this the reason why you turned him down, you stupid girl?!?" she quickly slapped Kaoru's face as soon as the younger lady was near her.

"Aunt Megumi… it's nothing like that. No… He's…" Kaoru stammered while Megumi walked passed her to look at the redheaded man behind Kaoru from head to toe. She gave him cold glare before looking back at Kaoru. "A rubbish thing just like you?" she added, raising her brows.

"Please… Aunt Megumi… it's nothing like that. Ken-…"

"Sorry? Did I hear you right?" Kenshin finally spoke, stepping in between the two. "Rubbish thing?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?!?" Megumi said looking insulted. "You commoner! You have no right to talk to me like that!"

"And you don't have to do that to Kaoru!" Kenshin said, amber eyes shining fiercely which made Megumi step back a little.

"Who are you?!? You are in my property! I can put you to jail in just one word, you know?" Megumi replied, frowning.

"Who am I?" Kenshin smirked. He was about to say something when Kaoru touched his arms to get his attention back to her.

"It's alright, Kenshin…" Kaoru said in a whisper, giving him a small smile. "It's alright…"

"But-…"

"C'mon here, you foolish girl!" Megumi took Kaoru painfully on her arm before pulling the younger woman to her. "And you… go home where you belong and leave us alone!" she added to Kenshin before dragging the poor Kaoru back to the Kamiya residence, leaving Kenshin fisting his hands in annoyance.

Megumi forcefully pushed Kaoru inside her so-called room, closing the door behind them with a loud bang. "How dare you… you stupid girl!!! You… you… bitch!"

Kaoru bit her lip as she tried to avoid her stepmother's blazing eyes. "To replace a fine man like Yukishiro-kun by that… that…" Megumi continued as she started pacing back and forth.

"I can't really understand what Yukishiro-kun had seen on you… you foolish girl. You must be thankful that a guy like him is actually giving some attention to a rubbish thing like you! And what did you do?!? You turned him down just because of a… a… no one like you?!?" Megumi stopped pacing to give a long cold glare at the still silent girl. "Don't you have anything to say?!? You- you…"

"I never asked for Yukishiro-san's attention." Kaoru replied quietly, still not wanting to meet her stepmother's eyes. "No… I didn't… I tried to pushed him away… yes. That's because I can't get myself to like him, just the way you all want me to do."

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Megumi lifted Kaoru's chin, making her stare back at her. "How dare you?!?"

"You can ask me to do everything… clean the house, do the laundry, make some errands for you, serve you like a slave… I'll do it… you'll hear no word from me, I'll just do it." Kaoru said in a shaking voice, trying to control herself. "But to dictate my heart… I guess, that's just… just… it's just… I think it's beyond the boundary."

"What are you implying, little bitch?" Megumi grabbed a fistful of Kaoru's hair and pulled it, making the younger woman winced in pain. "Are you initiating a challenge to me?"

"No… I didn't say that." Kaoru said in a calm voice, her eyes shining fiercely. "I'm just saying that you cannot order my heart."

Megumi gave Kaoru a long cold stare as she tried to absorb what Kaoru just said. "You are going to stay in this room… You are not going out, not until I say so." she said before hastily letting go of Kaoru and leaving the room. Making sure that she has locked Kaoru's door, so the younger girl wouldn't be able to go out.

Kenshin stepped inside his room quietly, deciding to avoid anyone on his way to avoid anyone questioning him. 'Damn… I should've just told that woman that I'm the prince. How I would love to see the look on her face when she finds out that she's calling the Prince a 'rubbish thing'." he felt a smirk on his face as he sat on a chair near his window.

"I should've have just told them… so that… so that… I could protect her." he said in a soft whisper as he gazed at nowhere. "I felt so… so… useless…" he sighed, as he buried his face on his hands. "I couldn't even protect her… I couldn't even do it because I'm such a coward."

"Hey… something wrong?" Sano who has just entered Kenshin's room quietly asked. "I was expecting a very happy after your little stroll out there…"

"I should've just told her."

"Why? Did she dump you?" Sano joked but seeing the seriousness on his friend's face he only scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry… I was just joking."

"It's just that… I felt as if I'm such a coward." Kenshin finally sighed as he looked back at space. "Why can't I tell her about who I really am… about how I really felt for her? Why is it that everytime that I've finally gotten the courage to tell her, there's always some interruptions that happening…"

"Just tell me what really happened, okay?" Sano said as he sat on a seat near Kenshin.

"That stupid girl!" Megumi growled, still frowning as she entered a room where her two daughters were talking about something.

"Is there something wrong, mother?" Tomoe asked, seeing the strange look on her mother's face.

"Is it that girl again?" Kamatari said, looking at her mother worriedly. The look on Megumi's face answered Kamatari's question. "That stupid Kaoru!"

"What happened this time?" Tomoe frowned as she let her mother take a seat.

"Should I take care of her now?" Kamatari raised an eyebrow and was about to make a move to leave the room when Megumi stopped her.

"Don't worry… I locked her up in her room. She'll be staying for some time." Megumi said. "She's not going out… not until I've gotten everything under my own grasp.

"What are you saying mother?" Tomoe asked.

"I'm going to move now. I'm not going to take care of her now." Megumi said with a little smile forming on her face.

Kaoru sighed as she hugged her knees closer to herself, leaning on the wall while staring at the moon from her window. 'Oh… mother, father… I know you're up there. I know you're watching me there, wherever you are right now… please give me some strength… please give me some strength to overcome everything. Please help me…' she silently prayed as she finally let the tears fell from her eyes.

'I feel so confused… so… so, weak… I don't know what to do…' she rested her chin on her knees. 'And I don't know what to feel, what to say… I don't know anymore…' she continued her silent prayers as she closed her eyes.

"Please don't leave me… not now… not now that I'm feeling alone… please don't…"

"What the hell?!? Did she really do that to you?!?" Sano frowned as he slammed his fist on anything near him. "You should've just told her who you are!"

"I know." Kenshin sighed. "I was such a coward… I couldn't even tell them to protect her… I feel so useless…"

"C'mon pal… it's not that they're going to kill her or anything." Sano said wisely, but not wise enough.

"You should have seen the look on that woman's eyes when she saw Kaoru." Kenshin said more to himself. "It's as if she's ready to kill Kaoru in front of me… I swear if she did something to Kaoru… to MY KAORU… Oh, Kami-sama, help me… I swear, I will kill them with my bare hands."

"A little possessive now, eh?" Sano joked trying to break the tension. "Well… sorry, I'm just kidding." he added, smiling sheepishly. Just then a knock from Kenshin's voice made them frown.

"Prince Kenshin… are you in there?" a voice from outside called.

"He's here." Sano answered for Kenshin, as the maid entered the room, bowing at them.

"It's just that the king wants to see him." the maid said again.

"Tell him that I'm coming." Kenshin sighed while the maid only bowed to him before leaving.

"There you are my son." King Okina smiled as Kenshin entered the room. "So… how did you find your little trip back in Yokohama?"

"It's fine…" Kenshin answered lazily as he took a seat across his father's desk. "It's a good place."

"I see." Okina nodded his head. "I heard you've become friends with the fair princess from Yokohama."

"You must be talking about Princess Sayo. Well, she's a nice girl." Kenshin said, tracing the arms of his seat with his fingers. "But she's just a friend of mine." he added quickly prediction where this conversation with his father was leading.

"Well, many good relationships starts with a good friendship, you know my son."

'Yeah… just like how I developed my feelings over a certain raven-haired beauty…' Kenshin thought with a smile. "I guess you are right." he voiced his thoughts aloud not knowingly.

'At last… it's finally happening.' Okina, thinking that Kenshin was talking about a certain princess was overjoyed. 'Now… I can see a better future for our kingdom.'

"Father… can I ask you a question?" Kenshin sighed as he finally looked up at his father.

"Of course son… anything." Okina nodded with a happy smile.

"Well… it's just that… there's something bothering me these last few days." Kenshin said.

"Go on."

"Father, is love really worth risking something so precious to you?"

'Well, well… I could say that my little boy is finally in love. About time…' Okina smirked inwardly. "Something precious like what son… enlighten me."

"Something… er… say friendship." Kenshin replied in a low voice. "Okay… I'll just give you a situation. There is a man, and he has a friend. As time goes by, the man was starting to feel something for his friend… it's like he's starting to fall for the girl. But the thing is… he can't tell him about his secrets, because he's afraid that when he finally confessed everything to her… she'll turn her back away and he will lose her forever…" he paused for a moment to let out a sigh. "Should the man take the risk… of ruining the very good friendship he had with the girl… of losing the girl forever… just to tell her that his secrets?"

"It is always better to have the courage to tell someone that you love them even if this meant losing that someone very special to you. It is better than just standing there, smiling at her, acting as if you were just okay but you're not. It is better than just standing there losing your chance for love merely because you're afraid of taking the risks." Okina said making his son turn to look back at him. "Who knows… maybe you'll get the same response from her… whoever was that girl…"

"But what if she doesn't felt the same?" Kenshin asked.

"A good friendship will never be broken by something like that." Okina smiled. "Maybe she'll avoid you for a while, not talk to you for some time… it's just that… she'll need some time to think everything over. Give her time."

Kenshin finally smiled. "Thank you father." he gave his father a small bow. "I better get going to my room now, I guess…" he said before excusing to his father.

"Good night too, my son." Okina smiled as he watched his son left the room. "I guess I better start preparing… I can see a wedding coming up so soon…" he added with a proud grin on his face.

"What?" Tomoe and Kamatari both voiced out their shock. "Mother are you sure?"

"There's no other way." Megumi said with a determined voice. "There's no other way but to marry her off to Yukishiro-kun right away… I can't let this chance to slip from my grasp. One of you are going to marry the prince and if marrying Kaoru off to Yukishiro-kun is the only way… well, the only way I take!"

Tomoe and Kamatari both exchanged looks, before grinning widely to their mother. "Of course… I'll surely be the one marrying the prince." Tomoe added.

"No way! The prince will never marry and old maid like you." Kamatari replied. "He'll marry someone younger and sexier."

"Sorry… did I hear sexier?" Tomoe smirked. "With a thick waist like that… you call yourself sexy… get lost."

Up in the attic, a certain girl was sleeping quietly… unaware of everything that was happening in her house… her supposedly home. Unaware of the plans that will soon to take into action…

TBC…

Notes: Haha! I'm still alive! Haha! Here's another chapter! Haha! At last I finally got the time to update! Haha! Just leave a review, ne?

Another notes: I just want to thank everyone who patiently waited for this chapter, who kept on encouraging me to continue. Your reviews really inspire me to continue (I'm not going to mention your names one by one… you know who you are… Thank You! Thank you!). I'm really sorry for the long wait, though… really do. Well… I guess this chapter will just be my Christmas gift to you, ne? Merry Xmas everyone and I do wish you all a Happy New Year. God Bless. See you next chapter. :)


	15. Actions

**RK: Cinderella Story**

**by: **nyllemnev

**Disclaimer's Apply: **They are not mine. I'm just a poor college student. Please don't sue me.

**Chapter 15: Actions**

A soft knock from her door made Princess Sayo looked up from the book that she's reading. "Come in…" she said in a soft voice, closing her book on her table. A few seconds later, her door opened and her maid entered her room.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you, your highness…" the maid bowed at her. "But you have a letter."

"A letter?" Sayo raised an eyebrow.

"Yes…" the maid nodded as she slowly took steps towards the young princess. "It came from King Okina of Tokyo." she said, handing the letter to the princess.

"King Okina?" Sayo said, while the maid only nodded before walking out of the room. "I wonder…" she whispered to herself as she opened the letter.

xxx

"_Okaasan… Okaasan…" Little Kaoru happily ran to her mother who was quietly sitting on the porch, watching the blue sky. "Look at this…" she excitedly bounced up and down in front of him, clutching some flowers she had picked up from the garden earlier._

"_Nani? For me?" Kaoru's mother blinked innocently at her daughter before taking the flowers from her daughter._

"_Hai… Otousan told Kaoru that today is Mother's day and Kaoru should give Okaasan some flowers." Kaoru said happily, hugging her mother. "Happy Mother's Day!"_

"_Your otousan told you that, eh?" Mrs. Kamiya said, a smiled forming in her lovely face. "I thought you've forgotten."_

"_How could I?" Mr. Kamiya, who has been standing behind them smiled. "And how did you know that I was here?"_

"_I know you enough." Mrs. Kamiya smiled, not looking at her husband who had started walking towards them._

"_Oh really…" Mr. Kamiya stood beside the two, smiling widely._

"_Otousan! Okaasan liked your flowers!" Kaoru said happily, jumping out of her mother's lap._

"_That's great… and hime-chan helped picked the flowers up too…" Mr. Kamiya knelt beside her daughter who nodded vigorously to her mother._

"_Of course… Kaoru good girl!" the little girl said proudly._

"_Oh really, little princess…" Mr. Kamiya said as she started tickling his daughter who started laughing uncontrollably._

"_Mou! Otou…… laughter ……san…… laughter ……stop…"_

"_I'm the winner again?" Mr. Kamiya said as he gave his daughter a time to breathe._

"_Mou… Otousan cheat! No fair…" Kaoru pouted._

"_Yeah… no fair…" Mrs. Kamiya said, opening her arms to her daughter who quickly ran to her._

"_Uh-uh… otousan made hime-chan upset again… tsktsktsk…" Mr. Kamiya said, shaking his head, looking disappointed about something. "I wonder if a scoop of her favorite chocolate ice cream could make my little princess smile again…" he added, again, shaking his head._

"_Honto ni?" Kaoru's head turned to her father, huge ocean blue eyes shining brightly._

"_It that could make my little princess smile." Mr. Kamiya smiled when Kaoru started nodding her head happily._

"_Kaoru loves it!"_

"_Honto ni?"_

"_Hai!" Kaoru nodded happily. "Otousan forgiven…" she added, in a childish manner._

"_Would her lovely mother love some too?" Mr. Kamiya said, catching Mrs. Kamiya's eyes before smiling._

"_Sure." Mrs. Kamiya replied softly as she stood up with her daughter in her arms and together they walked inside their house…_

xxx

Kaoru slowly opened her drowsy eyes, taking time to adjust to the bright sunlight that had started to peek through the gaps of her curtains. 'I had a really wonderful dream…' she smiled, lifting a hand to wipe something wet on her cheeks. 'Oh… I must have cried myself to sleep…' she sighed, pushing her blankets off herself as she sat up.

'Ohayou… Otousan, Okaasan…' she thought as he eyes fell on her parents' picture on her table. 'How are you doing there?' she added in her thoughts as she slowly and carefully picked the picture frame up.

'I'm doing quite fine here, don't you worry…' she managed a weak smile, her fingers tracing her parents' faces. '…well, actually… I don't know…' she sighed, trying very hard to stop the tears that had started to form in her eyes.

'I wish I know what I'm feeling…' she sighed, finally letting her tears to fall from her eyes.

xxx

Yahiko sighed as he swept the dried leaves off the backyard. "I wonder why Kaoru's still not up doing all of this?" he complained more to himself, yet a sound of growing concern is obvious in his voice. "She's usually up by this time of the day."

"You there…"

Yahiko looked up to see Megumi walking up to him. "Yes, Megumi-san."

"I want you to drop this letter on the mailbox." Megumi said as she hastily handed Yahiko an envelope. "Okay… do it now!" she added before turning to walk away.

"Er… Megumi-san…?" Yahiko called his employer who raised an eyebrow at him. "Er… Kaoru? I was just wondering…"

"She's in her room." Megumi said flatly.

"Eh?" Yahiko frowned. "Why? Is she sick or something?"

"None of your business why that pathetic girl is in her room." Megumi said coldly before turning away, leaving Yahiko slightly worried.

"I wonder what's up with her." he said more to himself as he watched Megumi reenter the house.

xxx

"Yukishiro… Yukishiro…" King Okina gestured the young man to sit down. "I am glad about this plan of yours. I'm really excited… I can oversee a bright future for our empire now."

"My pleasure, your highness." Enishi bowed. "Princess Sayo, surely is a very humble and nice young woman. I always knew that the Prince will like her."

"I'm very excited to meet her." Queen Yumi smiled. "I want to see her."

"Certainly, your majesty." Enishi nodded. "I have arranged everything."

"You've really been of big help." King Okina said.

"Everything for the sake of this country." Enishi bowed again. "Anything…" he added, the smirk on his face oblivious to the king.

xxx

'I wonder what's up with her really.' Yahiko sighed as he dropped the letter on a mailbox. 'I hope she's not sick or something…' he added on his thoughts as he started to walk back of the house.

"Yahiko-kun?"

Yahiko turned to see who just called his name. He smiled a little to find a very good friend of his, Sanjou Tsubame, standing not far from him. "Oi… Tsubame… what's up? What are you doing here?"

"Fine." Tsubame smiled, shyly at him, showing him a book. "I just went out to buy a new book… 'Bout you? And how's Kao-chan?"

"Well… I'm just fine and as for the busu…" Yahiko sighed. "Well, I don't know…"

"Eh?" Tsubame gave him a confused look.

"I mean… I didn't even see her the whole morning. That witch told me that she's in her room, though…"

"Is she sick?"

"The old hag never told me… I just wish she's alright." Yahiko shrugged, but his voice showing a hint of anxiousness. He continued to walk back with Tsubame by his side.

"Oh… I see…" Tsubame sighed. "I just wish they could be nicer towards her… I mean, their very mean to her… Kao-chan deserved better than that."

"You're right… The fool, if she'll only fight back."

Tsubame giggled a little which made Yahiko frown at him. "Nothing… don't give me that look…" she smiled again. "It's just that… it seems to me that you really care for her… I mean, a lot…"

Yahiko turned away. Tsubame could've sworn that she had seen a hint of a blush on the young man's face. "Stop saying nonsense."

"I'm not saying nonsense." Tsubame said, looking straight ahead. "We've been good friends, eh? You, me and Kao-chan… I care for her and I know you care for her too…" she sighed, finding the ground interesting. "…to what extent, I could only guess…" she added vaguely.

Yahiko could only turn his head sideways to stare at her, trying to read the emotions playing on her pretty face. "Yeah… right…" he sighed, looking away, casually placing his hands on his pockets. "You are always the smart one…"

"Yeah… and you are always the stupid one…" she added, whether she is joking or she is serious, it was hard to tell.

"Hey!" Yahiko frowned at her. "What was that for?"

Tsubame heaved a deep breath before shaking her head. "Nah… just kidding…" she added in a soft voice. "Well, nice seeing you around…" she looked up at him, giving him a small smile. "…tell Kao-chan 'hi' from me, ne?"

"Sure…" Yahiko smiled back as he watched Tsubame turn to a block. "See you around, Tsubame."

xxx

Kenshin sighed as he sat on a bench, staring at everyone passing. 'Where is she… I hope her stepmother is not giving her a hard time…' he sighed.

"Easy, buddy." Sano, who was sitting beside him, eating an apple, said. "You'll find her."

"I hope…" Kenshin forced a smile as he continued to watch the people passing by him. "I just hope…" he sighed again.

"Want some?" Sano offered an apple to Kenshin, who shook his head. "Fine… then I'll eat it."

"You sure has an appetite." Kenshin joked before turning away. Then, a smile suddenly formed on his face.

"Eh?" Sano stopped in mid-bite as Kenshin suddenly stood up from his seat and walked towards someone.

"Yahiko? You're Yahiko right? Kaoru…-dono's friend, eh?" Kenshin called. A young man stopped walking to turn to look at him.

"Kenshin? You're that… eh?" the boy called Yahiko suddenly smiled. "Yeah! I am Yahiko."

"Hai…" Kenshin nodded. Sano was starting to walk towards them. "Er…" he added, looking around. "…Kaoru-dono?"

"Oh… you're looking for Kaoru?" Yahiko exclaimed.

"Oi… who's that kid?" Sano interjected, taking a bite of apple.

"KID? Who ARE you calling a KID, ROOSTERHEAD?" Yahiko glared at Sano who choked.

"What did you just called me?" Sano glared back at Yahiko, after regaining his composure. "Huh? Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Yeah… I'm talking to a big dumb rooster head!" Yahiko snorted while Sano grabbed him by the collar.

"NANI?"

"Maa, maa…" Kenshin said. "Stop it, Sano…" he continued but Sano completely ignored him. "I said STOP IT, Sano!" he said in a voice full of authority. Sano let Yahiko go abruptly.

"Sorry… the kid's got a bad mouth."

"NANI?"

"Er… I apologize for his behavior." Kenshin said. "Sano can sometimes be… er… like that… but he's a nice man."

"What's that for?" Sano frowned.

"Anyway… This is Sagara Sanosuke, my friend… Sano, this is Myoujin Yahiko, Kaoru-dono's friend."

"Eh? Sagara? Then you're related?" Yahiko narrowed his eyes at Kenshin and Sano. "I don't see any resemblances between the two of you." he added.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked innocently, trying to understand what Yahiko had meant with that. Then as if somebody have hit him hard on his head, he felt his face paled. "Er… Sano was my… er… cousin… hehe… yeah, cousin!"

Sano frowned at Kenshin, no idea of what the whole exchange had meant. Kenshin stomped on the taller man's foot when Yahiko wasn't looking. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"I'll tell you later." Kenshin whispered to Sano before turning back to Yahiko. "Er… Yahiko-kun…"

"Kaoru's at home." Yahiko said. "Actually, I haven't seen her all morning. That old witch just told me this morning that she's in her room… but I don't know why…" he added worriedly.

"Huh? Why? Is she sick or something?" Kenshin asked worriedly.

"I don't know." Yahiko sighed again. "As I told you… I haven't seen her all morning…" seeing the look on Kenshin's face, he quickly added. "…but don't worry. I'll check on her later."

"Thank You…" Kenshin smiled gratefully at Yahiko.

"So… I guess… I'll see you later…" Yahiko smirked. "Or else those witches will skin me alive, eh?" he shrugged before starting to walk away.

xxx

Enishi sat on his office, pushing the documents on his table aside as he started to rub his temple. 'Argh… A long… exhausting day… I can't believe the amount of work they are giving me…' he thought as he eyed the papers on his table with disgust. He started to browse on the papers lazily. 'This is so… nonsense…' he frowned as he hastily threw some papers away.

"Huh? What's this?" he frowned as he picked up a small white envelope. "What do they want this time?" he said in annoyance as he found that the letter was from Takani Megumi. "The prince again? I can' believe the nerve of those people! If this is the usual nonsense…" he added as he opened the letter and started to read.

"Or… maybe… not…" he smirked as he had finished reading the letter, carefully folding the letter. "…maybe not…"

TBC…

A/N: Hey! Guess what? I'm back! Another chapter done! Hehe! (dodges everyone who started throwing tomatoes at me)… Okay fine! Sorry! Sorry for the late update! (dodges another row of tomato-throwing)… I just hope you enjoyed this chapter… Thank you for everyone who kept waiting (I mean… patiently waiting)… for this chapter… Till next chapter!

A/N2: Hey! It's my birthday! Greet me! Greet me! Hehehehe! Just kidding! This chapter is my gift for you! I hope you like it! Leave your review, ne?


	16. Actions pt 2

**A RK Cinderella Story**

**by: **nyllemnev

**Disclaimer's Apply: **They are not mine… blah, blah, blah…

**Chapter 16: Actions pt. 2**

Princess Sayo smiled as she examined her reflection on her mirror. Today, she's going to Tokyo to visit the palace and the prince too. 'I wonder if he'll be happy to see me there.' she thought while brushing her long tresses.

Honestly, Princess Sayo was quite surprised to have received the letter the other day from none other than King Okina himself. She was quite excited to see Prince Kenshin again.

"I just hope things will get better for me and my Prince." Sayo sighed. "Oh… how I wish…"

"The carriage is ready, Princess." the maid informed her.

Taking one last look on her reflection, she got up and went out of her room.

xxx

'I wonder when are they going to let me out of this room…' Kaoru sighed, staring sadly at her room's door. 'I've been in here for almost two days.' she shook her head, not wanting to cry again, just like what she's been doing for the whole time she's locked up in her room.

"I wonder what's going to happen now…" she sighed again.

tap, tap 

"Huh?" some noise from her window made Kaoru look up. "Nani?"

tap, tap "Psssttt… Kaoru… you there?" a voice called which made Kaoru jump a little in surprise. She frowned and began crawling towards her window to see what's going on.

"Y-Yahiko?" she gasped as she found herself staring at Yahiko who had managed to climbed up the roof. "What are doing there?" she pushed her window open to let her friend in.

"Why… looking for you, of course!" Yahiko jumped inside the room and crossed his arms. "I haven't seen you for almost two days! I'm worried."

"Oh…" Kaoru nodded her head.

"So… you alright?" Yahiko sank, cross-legged on the floor.

"I think so." Kaoru sighed, sitting on her so-called bed. "I guess."

"You've been crying?" Yahiko frowned, noting Kaoru's red and still puffy eyes. "What is it this time? Why did they lock you up here?"

"I… Well… it's my fault…" Kaoru looked down.

"It's always your fault." Yahiko sighed. "So… are you going to tell me what happened? I'm worried… Kenshin's worried too."

"Kenshin?" Kaoru looked up. "What-?"

"I kinda bump into him last day." Yahiko shrugged. "It seems like he's looking for you all over the place…"

"Oh…" Kaoru sighed. "He must be thinking that he had gotten me into trouble…" she shook her head and looked at Yahiko straight in his eyes. "Please tell him not to worry… it's not his fault and I'm alright…"

"I'm not going to tell him anything if you're not going to tell me what's happened!" Yahiko said stubbornly.

"Okay…" Kaoru sighed. "It's just that… Aunt Megumi caught me with him…"

"WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING? ARE YOU- ARE YOU…" Yahiko stood up and pointed an accusing finger at Kaoru.

"No! No! No!" Kaoru shook her head, blushing furiously. "Not what you're thinking!" she stood up. "It was that he was walking me home and then, we stopped for a while and we talked and Aunt Megumi caught us."

"Oh…" Yahiko sat back on the floor. "So?"

"Aunt Megumi got mad." Kaoru sighed. "You see… they… they liked Enishi-kun for me, or something like that…"

"But you liked Kenshin?" Yahiko teased while Kaoru only looked down. "Don't tell me… you really…"

"There's no reason to hide it now… but yes,… I think I like him." Kaoru said, not looking up at her friend.

"I knew it!" Yahiko exclaimed. "I'm wondering when are you going to admit it."

"What will I do?" Kaoru looked up at Yahiko, her cheeks tinted with a blush. "I can't see him or Aunt Megumi will kill me… but I don't want to be with Enishi-kun because I don't really like him."

Yahiko frowned for a moment, thinking. "Then… I guess… you'll have to leave."

"Leave?" Kaoru stood up. "Are you kidding me? I'm not going to leave my parent's property! This is the only thing that I've got! I'm not going to leave…"

"But there's no other way…" Yahiko sighed. "If you stay here… well, who knows what that old witch can do?"

Kaoru paused, thinking for a moment. "But…"

"You can stay at my place… or Tae-san's… Kionji-san's…" Yahiko said. "Even Tsubame-chan's place… we are all willing to help you…" he paused for a moment. "And don't worry about this place… I'll look after it for you…"

"Yahiko…" Kaoru looked at Yahiko. "But how am I going to get out of this place?"

"Leave everything to me…" Yahiko smirked.

xxx

Kenshin lay all awake on his bed, his head full of thoughts about a certain raven-haired beauty. 'I wonder if she's okay… I knew I could go there and see for myself but… I don't want to cause her more trouble and it's not as if I could go out unwatched…' he narrowed his eyes towards the direction of his window.

'I wonder what Enishi is up to now…' he frowned, '…he seems to be marking my every move… how can I snuck out of the palace if he's always there around me…'

A soft knock on his door made him sat up. "Hai?"

The servant entered the room and bowed at him. "His majesty, King Okina, wants a word."

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

The servant bowed at him before leaving the room.

"What now?" Kenshin frowned. He's not in a mood for another matchmaking scheme from his father.

"Sano…" Kenshin called as he saw his friend walking in the halls.

"Hey." Sano grinned at his friend. "What's up?"

"Bad…" Kenshin said before lowering his voice. "I can feel someone watching my every move."

"Yeah… I can see suspicious people around the palace as well." Sano lowered his voice too, so it was only Kenshin who could hear him. "Is something going on?"

"I don't know." Kenshin shook his head. "But Yukishiro seems to be tailing me."

"That's odd." Sano frowned. "The servants are very busy too. It's as if they're preparing for something."

"Did you ask them?"

"I did… but they said that your father ordered them not to speak a word of it." Sano shrugged.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Kenshin rolled his eyes. "It's as if someone is going to go here or something."

"Well… watch you steps then." Sano said in a serious voice.

"I know…" Kenshin turned to a corner. "My father wants a word… So I guess, I'll see you later."

"Yeah." Sano nodded while Kenshin walked towards his father's office. He sighed when he finally reached the King's office.

"It's me Kenshin." He said after knocking on his father's door.

"Come in."

Kenshin entered the room and narrowed his eyes a little when he found the last man that he wanted to see – Yukishiro Enishi, talking to his father.

"The servant informed me that you want a word?" Kenshin said, after throwing a cold look at Enishi.

"Yes… I was just talking to Yukishiro about the details." King Okina gestured for Kenshin to take a seat.

"If you would excuse me sir…" Enishi bowed at the King, then at Kenshin, before leaving the room.

"What are you discussing with Yukishiro?" Kenshin asked in suspicion.

"Well… I guess, I should tell you now." King Okina smiled at his son. "Princess Sayo of Yokohama is going to visit our palace."

"Princess Sayo?" Kenshin frowned. "Is that why the servants seems to be very busy? Sano just informed me."

"Of course." King Okina nodded. "And that is also why the security's been raised. Yukishiro also suggested that…"

"Why do I have a feeling that it's another one of your matchmaking scheme?" Kenshin narrowed his eyes at his father.

"Oh no… didn't you tell me that Princess Sayo is a friend of yours?" King Okina asked. "So, I thought… it would be great if we invite her to stay with us for a couple of weeks… Plus, the celebration for the Dragon Festival (I don't know if there's such thing as Dragon Festival, but well…) is coming, so I guess it would be pretty normal if we'll invite her for the festivities."

"Well… there's nothing wrong with that…" Kenshin nodded. "When is she going to arrive?"

"I guess tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"And you want me to greet her or something?" Kenshin raised an eyebrow.

"That would only be nice." King Okina nodded. "She did the same when you visited Yokohama."

"Fair enough." Kenshin nodded. "But I just want to make this clear, father… Princess Sayo is only a friend of mine…" he paused for a while before standing up. "…nothing more…" he bowed at his father before excusing himself.

"She's just a friend… as for now…" King Okina smiled, watching his son go. "You don't have to be shy, my son…"

xxx

"YAHIKO! Get the DOOR!" Kamatari's voice came ringing around the house making Yahiko cringed.

"Honestly… they can just open the door themselves." Yahiko rolled his eyes before going up to open the door. He frowned when he saw, none other than Yukishiro Enishi on their doorstep.

"Yukishiro-san… come in…" Yahiko bowed at him, opening the door wider for him to enter. "I'll just get the ugl-… er… Megumi-san…"

He led Enishi to the tearoom before going further inside the house to fetch Megumi and her daughters. 'I wonder what he's up to now…' he frowned.

xxx

Megumi gladly greeted the young man waiting on the room. "You received my letter?" she smiled, sitting on the chair across Enishi.

"Hai… the other day…" Enishi nodded. "I was very busy at the palace, so…"

"It's alright." Megumi smiled.

"Where's Kaoru?"

"She's inside…" Megumi said. "Don't worry… she'll be yours in no time." She took a sip of her tea before continuing. "All we have to do is to get everything in place. As soon as possible."

"Tell me what to do…" Enishi nodded as Megumi lowered her voice to tell him the details.

xxx

Yahiko stood rooted to his position as he have accidentally overheard everything that Megumi and Enishi were talking about. 'No…' he thought in alarm. 'I have to get Kaoru out of here as soon as possible…'

TBC…

A/N: So… It's been 100 years since I last updated… hehe… sorry guys… really, really really, sorry to the nth power! I'm just really busy at a moment.

For those who have PATIENTLY (really patiently) waited for this chapter, thank you… this is for you. And for those who reviewed in the last chapters (encouraging me to continue…), a million thanks to you… you're my inspiration guys (just want to tell you…). And for everyone… thank you! Thank you! And a million million of SORRY for late updates… GOMEN-NASAI!

So what do you think? Do you like this chapter? Are you mad at me :( ? Tell me what's on your mind…

And again… 'til next chapter! And don't worry, as promised, I'll finish this story (just be patient, ne guys?). :)


	17. Runaway

**A RK: Cinderella Story**

**by: **nyllemnev

**Disclaimer: **They are not mine… blah, blah, blah…

Chapter 17: Runaway 

Kaoru was awoken by the sound of something moving on her door. She frowned and said in a whisper, "Something out there?"

She carefully crawled towards the door, "Who's there?"

"Kaoru!" Yahiko's voice answered from the other side of the door and Kaoru gasped.

"Yahiko! Wha-?"

"Shh… Just… pack all your things or whatever. You have to get out of here now!" his voice sounded urgent and Kaoru frowned.

"What are you-?"

"Shut up!" Yahiko replied, sounding annoyed. "I'm trying to pick the lock! Darn it! Just do what I said and leave your questions later!"

"But I can't-"

"Do it!"

Kaoru frowned in confusion but she did as she was told to. She opened an old brown chest and picked a small wooden box – her mother's old jewelry box. She placed it inside a small bag. She picked a few more clothes and her parent's picture and placed it in the bag before crawling towards the door again.

"It's ready." she said to Yahiko.

"Okay… I think I got it… I—gotcha!" the door opened revealing a very worried-looking Yahiko. Kaoru opened her mouth to say something but her friend shook his head.

"We have to get out of here." he grabbed her wrist. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I don't know." Yahiko said as they took the dark stairway – trying not to make the tiniest sound, afraid that it might woke Kaoru's stepmother and sisters.

"You don't know?" Kaoru whispered. "But—"

"Shh…" Yahiko glared at her. Kaoru glared back at him but she remained silent.

Yahiko and Kaoru reached the end of the stairway around ten minutes later. Yahiko opened the door as quietly as possible and together they walked through the long hallway of the mansion after closing the door behind them.

They successfully walked past the three _witches' _(as Yahiko would love to call them) rooms without raising any suspicious alarms. But it was when they finally stepped out of the house that the two felt the _end of their lives_. Standing by the balcony was Megumi staring at something far away.

"What could she be doing there?" Kaoru heard Yahiko whisper beside her as he pushed her towards the bushes rather roughly.

XXX

'Soon my dreams would be come true…' Megumi smiled as she stared at nowhere. 'I can get that rubbish brat out of this place, one of my daughters will marry the prince, the other one will marry a rich merchant or something… I'll be rich and powerful. I'll own everything…' she laughed at the thought, the wind carrying her laughter all over the still quiet place.

'Everything will be mine…' she smiled as her eyes fell on the Palace shining like a star in the middle of the dark. 'Everything…'

A small movement below made her frown. She turned sharply to look at her late husband's garden – _her_ garden – but she saw nothing. "Must be the wind." she shook her head before turning to go back to her room.

XXX

Yahiko stood up from the bushes. "Wicked!" he breathed as he watched Megumi go back to her room.

"Yes." Kaoru said, several leaves and dirt on her hair. "Mind telling me where we're heading now?"

"I haven't thought about that yet…" Yahiko said, scratching the back of his head. Kaoru glared at him. "But I can explain… I promise!" he added quickly.

XXX

Tsubame woke up at the sound of something – or rather someone banging loudly at her door. She rubbed her eyes and grabbed a robe before stepping out of her room.

'Who could that be?' she thought in annoyance. 'At this time of the night too?' she frowned as she opened her front doors and when she did…

"KAORU-CHAN! YAHIKO-KUN!" she gasped in shock, her sleepiness already gone in an instant. She opened the door wider to let them in. "What in the world-!"

"We'll explain later." Yahiko said, gulping for air. "Give me—"

"Sit down." Tsubame said. "Water?"

"Please…" Kaoru nodded and Tsubame left to get two glasses of water.

"Mind telling me what happened now?" she asked after giving Yahiko and Kaoru some time to breath.

"Can Kaoru stay here?" Yahiko said. "She really needs to hide."

"From who?" Tsubame frowned.

"Megumi… that horrible witch!" Yahiko exclaimed. "She's going to marry Kaoru off that stupid white-haired freak!"

"She what-!" Kaoru gasped. "But…"

"I heard them!" Yahiko turned sharply to Kaoru. "They're really going to do it now! I knew it!"

"But why here?" Tsubame asked.

"Kaoru can't stay in our place – that's pretty obvious! That hag knew that I'm friends with Kaoru. She can't stay in Sekihara-san's place too. They knew that Sekihara-san's is a friend of the Kamiya family. That's obvious too.." Yahiko said in a matter-of-factly tone. "But they don't know that Kaoru's friends with you."

"I see." Tsubame nodded. "Sure… you can stay here, Kao-chan." she smiled at Kaoru.

"Thank you." Kaoru smiled gratefully at her friends.

"But… what are we going to do?" Tsubame asked, turning to Yahiko.

"I don't know." Yahiko said. "It was all happening so fast… I haven't thought about it yet. But…" he turned to Kaoru, "…please stay hidden. If she found you…"

"I know." Kaoru looked down. "I know."

Yahiko stood up and went to the door. Tsubame followed him, "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I need to go back home." he said. "It would look pretty suspicious if they found that Kaoru's was gone and I'm nowhere to be seen too."

"Oh…" Tsubame looked down as Yahiko opened the door. "Yahiko-kun…"

"Just…" Yahiko turned to her. "You take care of Kaoru, please."

"Of course." Tsubame nodded. "She's my friend too."

"Thanks." Yahiko smiled at her. "I better be going."

"Be careful, Yahiko-kun…" Tsubame sighed as she watched him go.

XXX

"AAAHHHHHHH!"

A loud feminine scream echoed throughout the Kamiya mansion. Yahiko felt a small grin forming as he pretended to clean the yards while waiting for the next reaction from the three _ugly witches_.

"Mother! Mother!" Kamatari rushed to the tearoom, her face was paled. "Mother!" she rushed to her mother's side, crying.

"What?" Megumi raised an eyebrow as she patted her youngest daughter's head.

"It's Kaoru!" Kamatari said, crying aloud.

"She's locked up in her room, pig." Tomoe rolled her eyes as she turned back to her book.

"No." Kamatari glared at her sister, standing up, "She's not there, old woman!"

"Don't be silly." Tomoe glared back at her sister. "Where could she be, silly?"

"Yes… where can she be?" Megumi frowned.

"I tell you, she's gone!" Kamatari said, turning back to her mother. "She's not there! I knocked on her door –"

"Moron… you knocked on her door when it's locked from the outside!" Tomoe snorted. Kamatari gave her another glare.

"You go see for yourself, clever!" Kamatari said hotly. "See for yourself, you old woman!"

"Don't call me 'old woman', you ugly pig!" Tomoe replied angrily.

"Fine, fine…" Megumi stood up. "Let's all see." she went out of the room towards the attic – to Kaoru's 'room' – her daughters on her tails. When they reached the room, Megumi frowned at the opened door.

"Was it already opened when you get here?" she asked pointedly to Kamatari.

"Yes, mother." Kamatari nodded.

Three, two, one… 

"YAHIKO!"

The boy in question smirked as he placed the broomstick back on its place. He went inside the mansion to find a very enraged Megumi, a crying Kamatari and a very shocked Tomoe walking through the hallway. "Something wrong?" he asked, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Where's the girl?" Megumi growled as she stood in front of Yahiko, her cold eyes boring on him.

"What 'girl'?" Yahiko frowned.

"Kaoru, you idiot!" Tomoe asked angrily.

"Huh? She's in her room, isn't she?"

"She's not!" Kamatari said.

"But you said she's locked up in her room, isn't it?" Yahiko asked, putting his hands on his pockets.

"But she's not!"

"How can that happen?" Yahiko raised an eyebrow. "She couldn't have disappeared there out of thin air or something, can she?"

Kamatari suddenly turned to her mother. "Maybe she's a witch! I knew it!"

"Shut it, moron!" Tomoe said. Kamatari glared daggers at her.

"Prepare the carriage!" Megumi said, her eyes narrowed. "We're going to look for her." she turned to go to her room.

"Mother!" Tomoe and Kamatari followed suit, leaving a smirking Yahiko.

Now… Am I a good or very good? To be continued… 

_**A/N: **Sorry for the long, VERY LONG (did I say long?) wait… but here it is – the next chapter (sorry if it's kind of short)! Really sorry… I wish you liked this chapter (don't forget the reviews… it always makes me happy :) ). 'Til next chapter… ja!_


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